Getting There: When’s the deadliest time to be a Spokane County driver? A Tuesday night in August

The deadliest time of year for Spokane County drivers isn’t December, when the roads are iciest, the snows are heaviest and the nights are longest.

It’s August. Between 6 and 9 p.m. On a Tuesday.

According to Washington Traffic Safety Commission data, August is Spokane County’s deadliest driving month. Since 2013, 45 fatal crashes have happened in August. In 2022, August alone was responsible for nine of the county’s 41 fatal crashes.

The reason for August’s deadliness isn’t a mystery.

Summer is the most fatal driving season simply because more people are out on the roads. June, July, August and September all have similar fatality rates. April is drastically safer, with just 14 fatal crashes in Spokane County over the last decade.

The fact that more crashes happen at night isn’t surprising, either. Drivers have to contend with rush hour, fading light and exhaustion after a long day at work.

But why are Tuesdays the deadliest day of the week on Spokane County roads? There doesn’t seem to be a great answer.

“It’s baffled a lot of us,” Washington State Patrol Sgt. Greg Riddell said. “Years ago it was Thursdays, and before that it was Fridays.”

The Tuesday trend could change over time. Statewide, Fridays and Saturdays have the most fatal crashes, and Spokane County’s fatality statistics mostly align with Washington’s overall numbers.

In general, Washington’s fatality numbers have been trending in the wrong direction.

From 2015 to 2020, the state saw between 536 and 574 people die every year in crashes involving a motor vehicle.

In 2021, the year after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of fatalities shot up to 675. Last year, it jumped to 750, the most deaths Washington has seen since 1990.

Riddell said the Washington State Patrol is well aware of those macabre figures and is constantly working to curb speeding and reckless driving. He also noted the agency wants to start using planes more often so it can follow speeders from the sky.

The Washington State Patrol already has some small planes, and its pilots come to Eastern Washington from the West Side a couple of times a year. They coordinate with troopers on the ground and generally focus on flying over Interstate 90, looking for speeders coming into Washington from Idaho.

“That’s the problem spot, westbound from Stateline,” Riddell said.

Riddell said the Washington State Patrol wants to have a dedicated plane for Eastern Washington, but until that happens the agency keep working from the ground to prevent deadly crashes.

“We’re doing the best we can,” he said. “Every department is shorthanded and we’re trying to do more with less.”