It’s important that the area where you live has safe streets and neighborhoods. Dangerous drivers can take that security away from you. After a crash, you may not know if you’ll be safe in your vehicle again, and you might have piles of bills adding up. It’s important that you are able to make the responsible party pay for your medical care, lost wages and damages to your vehicle.
Are crashes common in Portland?
Recent data has shown that between 2014 and 2015, there was an uptick in the number of fatal crashes that took place in Portland. Those killed were all occupants of cars and trucks. Although fatalities still occurred, the number of pedestrian fatalities dropped from 15 in 2014 to 10 in 2015.
What’s the most dangerous way to travel based on statistics?
Historically, those in cars or trucks are the most likely to be involved in a traffic accident. However, pedestrians make up close to a third of all fatalities in Portland, over double the national average of 14 percent. There are, on average, only 1.7 bicycle fatalities a year.
Where are the most dangerous parts of Portland?
The most dangerous area of Portland is the Portland Metro region. In this area, you’re 4.3 times more likely to be involved in a crash than if you’re on other roadways. The ten corridors in the area resulted in around 27 percent of traffic fatalities reported in 2015.
Avoiding these corridors won’t guarantee that you avoid a crash, but driving on them does increase your risk. No matter where you are, if you’re hurt because of a dangerous driver, it shouldn’t be your responsibility to foot the bill.
Source: Portland Bureau of Transportation, “2015 Portland Traffic Safety Report,” accessed Aug. 24, 2016