Portland traffic deaths spike through first half of 2019 while statewide fatalities dip

Greeley Avenue crash

Two sisters died in a traffic crash earlier in 2019 on Greeley Avenue in North Portland.Andrew Theen/The Oregonian

At least 28 people have died in Portland traffic crashes through the first half of 2019 and through the typically deadly Fourth of July holiday weekend, according to city records. It’s a noticeable spike from the same period last year.

According to preliminary city figures, the death toll through July 5 this year is the highest of any period in the past five years. Last year, 18 people died in Portland traffic crashes during the same time frame.

Those figures don’t include the two sisters who were struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver this week in Southeast Portland.

Dylan Rivera, Portland Bureau of Transportation spokesman, said every death represented a loss of a valuable community member, “irreparably changing the lives of their family members, friends and colleagues in a sudden, immense and permanent way.”

The increase represents the difficulty in curbing traffic deaths, one year after Portland saw a significant decline year-over-year. Deaths include motorists, pedestrians and cyclists who died in incidents not known to be suicides. Just halfway through 2019, Portland is already rapidly approaching the 20-year average of 36 traffic deaths.

Last month, Portland City Council adopted a new Vision Zero action plan intended to speed up its plans to eliminate all traffic deaths by 2025. The Vision Zero plan includes redesigning streets, reducing speed limits and trying to educate drivers about the perils of speeding and driving while impaired. Within hours of that plan’s passage, three people died in traffic crashes.

“We study each deadly traffic crash to understand the contributing factors, and we have adopted new rapid response protocols and accelerated safety improvements to address systemic safety challenges,” Rivera said in an email. “While it takes years for trends to emerge, we can all commit today to following the speed limit, stopping for people walking and biking, and planning for a safe ride home instead of driving impaired.”

Portland is seeing more people die in their cars or trucks (13 vs. 5) or walking (11 vs. 7) so far in 2019, while fewer motorcyclists are dying (2 vs. 5).

Eighteen people died in Portland city limits through early July last year, four fewer than the same period in 2017.

While Portland is seeing traffic deaths spike, statewide deaths are down through the first half of 2019.

Through July 8, an estimated 214 people have died statewide, 24 fewer than through the same period last year.

Fifteen fewer motorcyclists have died in Oregon so far this year than during the first half of 2018.

Tom Fuller, a state transportation spokesman, said the numbers were “encouraging.”

“We’ll have to wait and see if the trend continues,” he said in an email. He said a lot of control came down to drivers’ choices. “We encourage them to make the right choice every time: put down the phone, put on the seat belt, and try not to get impatient. Aggressive driving is a huge factor in fatalities.”

-- Andrew Theen

atheen@oregonian.com

503-294-4026

@andrewtheen

Visit subscription.oregonlive.com/newsletters to get Oregonian/OregonLive journalism delivered to your email inbox.

If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.