Oregon Car Crash Statistics 2010

As another year winds down, we look back and ask the age old question, “Were the good old days really better, or do we just remember them that way?” The same question applies to 2010 Oregon car crash statistics. Some people swear drivers are more aggressive, more dangerous and more distracted now than ever before. Others see things in a different light and point to improvements in vehicle safety features and strict enforcement of rules of the road by law enforcement agencies.

There’s Good News and Bad News: 

As is often the case, statistics can be used to show that both sides of the argument are “correct.” Some examples of Oregon car crash statistics for 2010:

• Fewer people are being killed on Oregon roads than ever before. In 2010, a total of 317 people lost their lives in 292 traffic accidents involving cars, trucks, cyclists and pedestrians hit by vehicles. While that’s still an alarmingly high figure, it marked an 11.78% decline in crashes and a 15.92% in road deaths when compared to 2009. What’s more, the trend is continuing, but it’s going to be a close call, given December is always the worst month for fatal traffic accidents in the state. However, as of November 21, 2011, the number of fatalities on Oregon roads for the year had reached 286, compared to 289 on the same date in 2010.
• The number of accidents leading to non-fatal injury has increased in the past year, and quite dramatically at that. By the end of 2010, no fewer than 30,493 people had been injured in a total of 20,879 Oregon traffic accidents, representing an overall increase of 9.58% in accidents and an 8.31% increase in injuries from 2009.
• Property only accidents have also gone up. Of course, if no injury is involved, that’s a good thing, but Oregon car crash statistics indicate that 22,923 property only accidents occurred in 2010, and that was 4.73% more than 2009.

Cars are the Safest:

Cyclists, motorcyclists and pedestrians definitely didn’t have a good year in 2010. Neither did school buses! Some of the more disturbing  2010 Oregon car crash statistics:

• People on bicycles, tricycles, unicycles and pedal cars accounted to no fewer than 910 Oregon traffic accidents in 2010, a 13.47% increase over the previous year.
• Pedestrians fared even worse, statistically speaking. A shocking total of 792 pedestrians were injured on Oregon roads in 2010, and that was almost a 20% increase over 2010. That was the single greatest statistical increase in all road accident categories.
• School buses—yes, school buses—had a very bad year in 2010, with a 17.46% increase in traffic accidents over 2009. A total of 148 Oregon school buses were involved in collisions.
• Truck drivers and motorcyclists were roughly the same between 2009 and 2010. Medium and heavy trucks were still involved in 1,711 accidents—a 4.39% increase, and motorcyclists in 849 accidents, which represented just 0.83% of an increase over 2009.

Younger Drivers are Most at Risk: 

In terms of increases in traffic accidents, it would appear that drivers between the ages of 15 to 20 didn’t do too badly in 2010, with only a 4.19% increase compared to 2010. However, one of the most shocking statistics to come out of this report is that a total of 8,165 Oregon traffic accidents involved a young driver. This means they were unwilling participants in one of every five collisions recorded.

Drivers Beware: 

Contrary to popular belief, if a fatal accident occurs, the driver is the most likely person to be killed; not the front seat passenger. In 2010, Oregon car crash statistics revealed 171 drivers lost their lives, whereas the figure for passengers was 77. In addition, 62 pedestrians and 7 cyclists were killed on Oregon roads. Another frightening statistic is that almost one of every four people injured in Oregon traffic accidents (24%) was a child between the ages of 0 and 14.

Other Surprising Facts: 

•  Of all fatal crashes in 2010, 40% were caused when vehicles struck a fixed object.
• The most common cause of non-fatal injuries in traffic accidents, at 36%, was rear-end collisions.
• You might be interested in knowing that the absolutely most dangerous time to be on an Oregon road is between the hours of 5 and 6 p.m., on any Friday in December. Statistically, you have a greater chance of becoming an Oregon car crash statistic then than at any other time or day in the year.

It’s certainly true that there are more accidents occurring than in previous years, but it’s also the case that fewer people are being killed on Oregon roads than ever before. If you’ve been one of the unfortunate additions to this year’s Oregon car crash statistics, and you’ve suffered an injury due to someone else’s negligence, the first thing you should do is get the medical attention you need. After that, whether you were a pedestrian, cyclist or driver, contact an experienced, expert Portland personal injury attorney for help.