4 deadly crashes in 4 days in Seattle

Seattle sees 4 deadly crashes in 4 days

Seattle's transportation officials reiterate their resolve to eliminate traffic deaths by 2030 through safety measures like pedestrian prioritization, no right turn on red, and lower speed limits.

SEATTLE - Four people were killed in Seattle in three days all due to car crashes, and FOX 13 News is asking the city’s department of transportation what they are doing to make roads safer.

From May 23 to May 26, Seattle Police responded to four different deadly crashes.

Just before noon on Thursday, May 23, a woman in her 70s was killed in a crash in downtown Seattle. The prosecutor’s office just charged the driver in the crash with vehicular homicide and several counts of vehicular assault.

Later that same day, around 5 p.m., SPD responded to North Seattle where a 19-year-old died in a crash between a motorcycle and a car.

The next day, a man walking near Olive Way and Minor Avenue Friday night around 9:30 p.m., was hit and killed and SPD said the driver kept going. No arrest has been made in this deadly hit and run case.

Finally, Sunday night around 11:30 p.m., a 63-year-old woman walking near 12th Avenue South and South Weller Street in the CID Neighborhood was hit and killed.

"Very unusual to have a week like that. It’s tragic. Any death is one too many on our streets," said Venu Nemani.

Nemani is the chief transportation safety officer for the Seattle Department of transportation.

Nemani says the city has already seen improvements in safety on roads thanks to three big changes to Seattle streets.

Those changes include allowing pedestrians to cross before cars, restricting right-turn on red lights, and lower speed limits throughout the city.

Nemani says those changes will continue throughout 2024.

However, the city’s goal is to get to zero deadly crashes by 2030. In 2023 there were a reporter 27 deadly crashes.

FOX 13 News asked Nemani if zero is a reachable goal.

"I think zero is the only acceptable goal. It’s the goal for my family. I would say it’s the goal for your family, for our community, and for our city as a whole. I think we are absolutely committed to our vision zero goals, and we are aligning all of our safety actions in pursuit to our vision zero and safety goals," he said.