This year’s fatal traffic crash statistics show a tiny bit of good news amid the sad march of hit-and-runs and lethal wrecks: they’re heading downward.
An examination by According to the Oregonian/OregonLive, as of Thursday, there were 57 road fatalities in the city, down from 62 at the same period previous year.
With four deadly wrecks on Christmas alone, the death toll in 2023 increased to 69 by the end of the year, and by the end of the holiday season this year, the figures are probably going to increase as well. However, Portland will have roughly 8% fewer traffic fatalities than the previous year if the trendline persists.
In a news release on Thursday, the Portland Bureau of Transportation verified the findings.
The fact that 2023 was the deadliest year for traffic crashes in Portland in thirty years and that this year’s numbers are still high when compared to the 2000s or 2010s is not encouraging for those who push for traffic safety.
According to Scott Kocher, a lawyer who frequently represents cyclists and pedestrians hurt on the roads, it’s too soon to celebrate. There are numerous reasons to believe that we have not made much headway in keeping Portland’s streets safe for drivers, pedestrians, and pedestrians alike.
Many hypotheses have been put up by experts to explain the rise in road fatalities in the country since 2020. Some blame cellphone use, societal standards, or drivers’ desire to weigh their options before purchasing a new SUV or pickup.
After going over hundreds of pages of 2023 traffic data, The Oregonian/OregonLive found certain terrible yet recurring patterns. Intoxication, speed, careless driving, and dim lighting were factors in several of the fatal collisions.
The Police Bureau redirected police to other tasks, such as social justice demonstrations, during the pandemic, pulling back from traffic enforcement.
Since then, police have reorganized the Traffic Division, and they now patrol for risky drivers seven days a week between 5 p.m. and 3 a.m., when the majority of deadly crashes take place. On holidays when traffic is heavy, local police have often joined up with state troopers to conduct traffic assignments.
After personnel numbers improve, the Police Bureau plans to establish a daytime patrol shift for scofflaw drivers, according to Traffic Division Sgt. Ty Engstrom.
At a press conference earlier this month, he stated, “We have just created this culture where Portland is a playground and there are no repercussions, and people get away with things here.” Realistically, we respond by having a very proactive Traffic Division.
Since the city’s transportation bureau and police department employ somewhat different methods to count road fatalities, it is reasonable for Portlanders to be perplexed by reports of a decline in traffic fatalities.
Intentional killings, suicides, fatalities that occur more than 30 days after a collision, and non-automotive incidents, such as when a train runs over a pedestrian, are all included in the Police Bureau’s tally.
Those cases are not included in the Portland Bureau of Transportation.
But ultimately, every traffic fatality is one too many, and Portland’s rate of road mortality is still higher currently than it has been for the previous 20 years.
According to Police Bureau records, there were only 27 traffic fatalities in 2000, which is almost an all-time low. According to PPB, traffic fatalities would remain below 50 annually till 2017.
For The Oregonian/OregonLive, Zane Sparling reports on court proceedings and breaking news. You may contact him at [email protected], 503-319-7083, or pdxzane.
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