How many roadway crashes occur throughout Hampton Roads? How does the number of crashes in Hampton Roads compare to other metropolitan areas across the state? How did the COVID-19 pandemic influence roadway safety in the region? The State of Transportation report provides answers to some of these questions.
According to the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), there were 26,170 crashes in Hampton Roads in 2021. The number of crashes in the region has increased over the second half of the decade by 4% from 2012 to 2021 but decreased in 2020 due to the pandemic.
The rate of crashes relative to the amount of travel has also increased in the region over the last decade: from 1.74 crashes per million vehicle miles traveled (VMT) in 2012 to 1.87 crashes per million VMT in 2021 (8% increase). Virginia's rate of crashes per million VMT experienced a decrease of 5% during the same period. Additionally, the region's crash rate in 2021 was higher than that experienced in other metropolitan areas in Virginia, including Northern Virginia, Richmond, and Roanoke.
Despite lower traffic levels, the number of fatalities in the region has largely increased over the last decade, including during the pandemic. There were 179 fatalities from traffic crashes in Hampton Roads in 2021, a record high. The number of fatalities increased by 81% in the region over the last decade, which is higher than the increase across Virginia (+25%) and throughout the country (+27%)
The information above is detailed in HRTPO's State of Transportation in Hampton Roads 2022 report. This report provides a status update on all facets of the Hampton Roads transportation system, including air, rail, water, and highways. Other aspects of the region's transportation system are also highlighted in the report, including bridge conditions, roadway usage, cost of congestion, roadway safety, truck data, bicycle and pedestrian facilities, highway funding, tolling, operations, and other commuting characteristics.
The State of Transportation in Hampton Roads 2022 report is available on the HRTPO website at the following link:
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