What does this measure?
The number of traffic injuries and deaths in a region, expressed as a rate per 1,000 residents.
Why is this important?
Traffic injuries and fatalities present an enormous cost to a community in terms of both money spent and lives altered.
How is our county doing?
In 2016, Essex County had a traffic injury and death rate of 5.1 per 1,000 residents, a steady increase since 2013 and an 18% increase in the rate from 2004. The rate in Essex County was similar to the state rate of 5.2 per 1,000 residents in 2016 and much lower than the national rate of 12.9.
How do we compare to similar counties?
The rate in Essex County was higher than Middlesex (4.4 per 1,000 residents) in 2016, but lower than both Westchester, NY (8) and Lake County, IL (7).
Notes about the data
None.