Car Crash Fatality Statistics – Oregon
In 2016 the Oregon State Government released its Transportation Safety Action Plan. This was in response to an increase in car crash fatalities after several years of a declining death rate. The aim of this plan is to address transportation issues in order to save lives of people using the state’s roads and highways. In doing so, Oregon hopes to instill a culture of safety first in the minds of its residents.
In 2015, Oregon recorded 447 deaths. This data was compiled by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS). Of these fatalities, 313 people died on rural roads. One hundred and eighteen of these fatal crashes were speed related. Of the drivers involved in these fatal accidents, 50 were aged between fifteen and twenty.
Crash Statistics Reported by the HLDI
The Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI) is attached to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. They submit an annual report on crash statistics for every state in the nation.
The HLDI analyzes the data that they extract from FARS. For 2015, the institute reported the following statistics for Oregon:
- Deaths in fatal car crashes was 11.1 per 100,000 residents. This is marginally worse than the national average for that year of 10.9.
- 62 percent of fatal crashes involved only one vehicle.
- 26 percent of deceased car occupants were not wearing seat belts.
- 70 percent of fatalities took place on rural roads.
- Of the fatalities, 36 percent were car occupants. Others were killed in pickups, SUVs and trucks.
- 15 percent of fatalities in car crashes were pedestrians.
Statistical Analysis by the Oregon State Government
The Oregon State Government released a report on their analysis of the car crash statistics for 2015. They reported an almost 28 percent increase from 2014 in fatal crashes. Injuries from car accidents also increased by nearly 19 percent.
Of concern to state, authorities saw an increase of 16 percent in the number of crashes involving people aged between 15 and 20. The number of fatalities was 445, an increase of 25 percent over the 2014 death count.
The 2016 Portland Safety Report
In May 2017, the city of Portland released their report on the safety of their urban transportation system in 2016. This report includes planned initiatives to improve road safety and reduce the number of car crash fatalities. The city’s vision is to eliminate deaths serious injury from car crashes by 2025.
The city reports 44 deaths from car accidents in 2016. This is the highest number of fatalities since 2003. Of these 55 percent involved intoxication by one of the parties to the crash. Another big contributing cause in 32 percent of the incidents was high speed.
Of the 44 fatalities, 20 were traveling in cars or trucks and 13 were pedestrians. Six deaths were recorded for people riding motorcycles and five riding bicycles.