State DOT's that get it right

Yesterday we posted a list of state DOT's that incorrectly use the word "accident" in their road reports.  Below is a list of DOT's that get it right.  They use crash or collision, or in some cases incident. The good news is that 28 states avoid referencing highway incidents as "accidents".  

Let's give credit where credit is due.  Thanks to these DOT's for getting it right.  

Arizona                                 @arizonaDOT

Colorado                               @coloradoDOT
Florida                                   @fl511_i75

Illinois                                   @IDOT_Illinois

Indiana                                 @TrafficWise  @INDOT

Iowa                                     @IowaDOT  @statewideia511

Hawaii                                  @honolulupolice

Kansas                                 @KDOTHQ

Kentucky                              @KYTC511

Maine                                   @maineDOT1

Maryland                              @mdotnews

Massachusetts                     @massDOT

Michigan                               @michiganDOT

Minnesota                            @mndottraffic

Mississippi                           @mississippiDOT

Missouri                               @StLouisTraffic

Maryland                              @theMDTA

Nebraska                             @NDOR

Nevada                                @nevadadot

New Hampshire                   @newhampshireDOT

North Dakota                       @NDDOTfargo

Oregon                                 @oregonDOT

Rhode Island                       @RIDOTNews

Tennessee                           @TN511

Utah                                     @UDOTTRAFFIC

Vermont                               @511VT

Wisconsin                            @WisconsinDOT                      

Washington                          @wsdot_traffic
Wyoming                              @WYDOT_I80

State DOT's that still call crashes "accidents"

The US DOT recently re-interated its policy on why they use the word "crash" instead of "accident".  The policy was established in the 90's.   Unfortunately 21 state DOT's never got the word, and continue to use the word in their communications.  These agencies need to understand that their words are wrong, hurtful and harmful. 

Alaska                                   @alaska511

Arkansas                               @AHTD

California                               @caltransHQ

Connecticut                           @CTDOT_Statewide

Delaware                               @DelawareDOT

Georgia                                 @GADeptofTrans

Montana                                @mdroadreport

PennDOT                              @511PAstatewide

New Jersey                           @511NJ

New Mexico                          @nmroads_test

New York                              @NYSDOT

N. Carolina                           @NCDOT

Louisiana                              @NS_Traffic

Ohio                                      @ODOT_Cleveland

Oklahoma                             @OKDOT

South Carolina                      @scdotpress

South Dakota                        @SouthDakotaDOT

Texas                                    @TxDOT

Virginia                                  @511statewideva
West Virginia                         @WVDOT

Crash versus Accident - Recent Activity

A lot has been written over the last several days regarding the semantics of crashes. Below are links to the recent postings.  We encourage you to dive into the comments sections, which have been quite active.

Washington Post – Wonkblog - Monday, August 24

When a car‘crash’ isn’t an ‘accident’ — and why the difference matters

Mother Jones - Monday, August 24

"Crash" vs."Accident" Doesn't Seem Like It Matters Very Much

Mother Jones - Tuesday, August 25

"Accident" vs."Crash": Round 2

Today, the US Department of Transportation re-interated its policy on the word “accident” in this tweet.  

When a car ‘crash’ isn’t an ‘accident’ — and why the difference matters

Washington Post - August 24, 2015

By Emily Badger 

An "accident" is, by definition, unintentional. We accidentally drop dinner plates, or send e-mails before we're done writing them. The word also suggests something of the unforeseen — an event that couldn't have been anticipated, for which no one can be blamed.

That second connotation is what irks transportation advocates who want to change how we talk about traffic collisions. When one vehicle careens into another or rounds a corner into a pedestrian — call it a "crash," they say, not an "accident."

"Our children did not die in 'accidents,'" says Amy Cohen, a co-founder of the New York-based group Families for Safe Streets. Her 12-year-old son was hit and killed by a van on the street in front of their home in 2013. "An 'accident,'" she says, "implies that nothing could have been done to prevent their deaths."

Read the full story here.