MYNORTHWEST NEWS

King County Metro involved in 104 preventable accidents over last four years

Apr 20, 2022, 3:58 PM | Updated: 4:01 pm

King County Metro, ORCA card...

A King County Metro bus at the Northgate Transit Center. (Photo courtesy of King County Metro/Twitter)

(Photo courtesy of King County Metro/Twitter)

A recent audit of King County Metro’s network revealed that there were 104 preventable bus accidents in the county since 2018.

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While metro received high marks for responding to all of those accidents, the report mentions additional safety precautions that could be followed to prevent subsequent incidents.

“We recommend Metro Transit expand its analysis and response measures to include less severe incidents and require regular training for all operators,” the report read. “Additionally, the Safety & Security Division does not have efficient access to data, such as traffic tickets and customer complaints, which could help identify risks for future incidents.”

The audit stressed the importance of data to prevent more accidents, but mentions that staffing shortages prevent more in-depth analysis.

The Safety & Security Division currently has six staff positions that review the thousands of incidents that occur each year,” the report reads. “The division stated that it would not have capacity to conduct deeper analysis without additional staffing, especially if it were reviewing additional incidents.”

Since 2018, Metro buses have traveled more than 200 million miles within King County.

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Despite the preventable accidents, Seattle still ranks among the nation’s safest cities in terms of public transportation.

“Transit is one of the safest forms of travel for passengers,” the audit reads. “Metro Transit Department buses are involved in thousands of safety incidents each year, but few incidents result in serious injuries.”

You can read the full report here

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King County Metro involved in 104 preventable accidents over last four years