Skip to content
Car accident death rate and speeding were cited as reasons
A recent national study conducted by Car Insurance Comparison ranked Oregon among the top 10 states with the worst drivers in the country due to the large number of car accidents caused by drivers statewide and several other factors.
“You know them when you see them — swerving in and out of lanes, flying down the highway at 100 miles-per-hour, unaware of cyclists and pedestrians, driving erratically down the road,” the Car Insurance Comparison study states. “They are the worst drivers, and they pose a hazard to everyone on the road.”
What makes Oregon’s roads so dangerous? Why do so many car accidents happen statewide? And is the problem getting better or worse in Oregon? The short answer? Car accidents continue to be a serious problem in Oregon.
Which states have the ‘worst drivers’ in the country?
The Car Insurance Comparison study compared car accident data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for every state based on five different criteria:
- Car accident death rate
- Failure to obey traffic laws (including fatal crashes involving drivers not wearing seatbelts, fatal crashes involving unlicensed drivers)
- Careless driving accidents (based on pedestrian and bicycle accident death rates)
- Crashes caused by drunk driving
- Accidents caused by speeding
Using those five categories, Oregon’s drivers were ranked the 9th worst in the country. According to the study, New Mexico and Texas tied for the worst drivers in the nation.
Why do so many car accidents happen in Oregon?
Oregon ranked among the worst nationwide in two categories – the overall car accident death rate and speeding-related fatalities.
According to the Car Insurance Comparison study, 1.36 people die in motor vehicle incidents in Oregon for every 100 million miles traveled. In addition, 28 percent of fatal accidents in Oregon involved speeding drivers.
As for some of the other categories in the Car Insurance Comparison study, 13.86 percent of fatal accidents in Oregon involved drivers or passengers not wearing a seatbelt. In addition, 17.61 percent of fatal car accidents in Oregon involved drivers without a valid driver’s license.
As for pedestrian fatalities, the fatality rate for Oregon was 1.92 deaths per 100,000 people, which was the 9th worst nationwide. Oregon’s per capita bicycle accident fatality rate was also the 9th worst nationwide with 0.28 deaths per 100,000 people.
Meanwhile, 76.07 percent of fatal car accidents in Oregon involved drivers with alcohol in them at the time of the crash. This includes 167 car accident fatalities involving drivers with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08 percent or higher, which is considered legally drunk. An additional 205 fatalities in Oregon involved drivers with a BAC of 0.07 or lower.
Are Oregon’s roads still as dangerous now?
The Car Insurance Comparison study was based on NHTSA car accident statistics from 2019. Since then, recent crash data shows things in Oregon have only gotten worse.
In 2019, a total of 493 people died in motor vehicle accidents in Oregon. The next year, 508 people died in Oregon car accidents even though there were fewer drivers on the road due to the pandemic.
And in 2021, car accident fatalities in Oregon skyrocketed during the first six months of the year compared to the first six months of 2020. In the first half of 2021, there were 261 car accident deaths in Oregon, an increase of 88 deaths or 51 percent more compared to the first six months of 2020. In 2020, 173 people died in motor vehicle accidents statewide, according to the National Safety Council.
Injured in Portland, Oregon? Talk to a car accident attorney today
If you were injured in a crash, you have the right to pursue compensation for your losses, and a car accident lawyer can help in many different ways. From conducting an independent investigation into your crash to negotiating with the insurance company on your behalf, an attorney can aggressively advocate for your best interests and fight for the financial compensation you deserve.
At Zbinden & Curtis, our car accident lawyers can help you every step of the way. We know the law and understand how the legal system works in Oregon. That’s why we have such a strong track record of success.
Discover what we can do for you. Contact us today to schedule a free case evaluation with an experienced Portland car accident lawyer. We handle accident claims throughout Oregon and Washington.
