Big Rig Accidents in Oregon
Oregon Department of Transportation, ODOT, gathers and evaluates data from crashes across the state. A yearly crash report is provided that includes a number of useful statistics. In 2015, the most recent report date, there were a total of 445 fatalities on Oregon roads statewide, with 238 occurring on the State highway system. This number is up from 356 total deaths in 2014, an increase of 25%. As a comparison, there was an increase in deaths on U.S. roadways from 7.17% in 2015 over 2014. The fatality rate based on miles traveled was 1.24 deaths per 100,000 miles, higher than the national average of 1.12.
Truck Accident Data
Truck accidents can cause serious injuries and fatalities. Included is a review of the statewide data over the last 5 years from 2010 to 2014, the most recent report available.
| Year | Number of Crashes | Injuries | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 1,711 | 914 | 45 |
| 2011 | 1,928 | 1,037 | 43 |
| 2012 | 2,053 | 1,131 | 27 |
| 2013 | 2,015 | 1,009 | 35 |
| 2014 | 2,144 | 1,132 | 34 |
An analysis of contributing factors to fatal truck crashes in Oregon reveals that a number of deadly truck incidents were caused by driver mistakes. The following statistics are from 2014:
- 10 drivers were speeding or driving too fast for conditions
- 2 disregarded traffic signals
- 1 made an improper lane maneuver
- 3 Right-of-way mistakes
- 15 miscellaneous errors
Miscellaneous errors included driving on the wrong side of the road, failure to maintain lane, failure to negotiate a curve and driving the wrong way on a one-way street. Some additional contributing factors included:
20.7 % - alcohol use
10.9 % - Drowsy, distracted or sick
10.3 % - Did not Yield Right-of-Way
Driver errors, distracted driving and driving while intoxicated may cause extremely serious injuries when they occur by a driver in a large truck.
More Statistics
Most of the fatal accidents that happened in 2015 occurred on rural highways or county roads. There were 267 fatal crashes in rural areas which resulted in 294 deaths. In comparison, there were 143 deadly collisions in urban areas that ended with 151 fatalities. 57 fatal crashes happened during daylight hours, 3 at dusk or dawn and 52 during hours of darkness. The road conditions included 81 crashes on dry pavement, 28 on wet roads and 2 on icy roadways. 9 fatalities were from head-on accidents, 11 rear-end, 19 angle and 3 sideswipe incidents. This data is based on all deadly accidents in Oregon including those involving big rigs.