Safety Advocates Review Crash Reports To Uncover Real Reasons For Pedestrian Accidents In Portland

Pedestrian accidents in Portland are an ongoing problem, putting the lives of local residents and visitors to our area at risk. As public officials continue to pursue solutions that do not seem to help, local safety advocates recently took matters into their own hands. They uncovered some of the real reasons behind why pedestrian injuries happen and offer suggestions on how to better address the issue.   

Analysis Of Pedestrian Safety Reports Reveals Underlying Problems

Public officials generally take three tactics when it comes to addressing the high rate of pedestrian accidents in Portland. As outlined in the city’s most recent State of Walking Report, these are: 

• Infrastructure Improvements: Increasing sidewalks, crosswalks, and ensuring there are traffic lights at intersections;
• Traffic Enforcement: Enforcing local speed limits;
• Public Education: This encourages pedestrians to take steps to protect themselves. 

These have been a main point of focus over the past decade but have failed to prevent pedestrian accidents from happening. In frustration, local safety advocates took matters into their own hands, sifting through actual police reports collected from the city and uncovered underlying problems. They claim that limiting their focus to the above, educational campaigns aimed at drivers would likely be more effective at decreasing Portland pedestrian accident risks. 

Volunteers Take Matters In Their Own Hands In An Effort To Prevent Portland Pedestrian Accidents

In reaching their conclusions about the primary causes of pedestrian accidents in Portland, local volunteers reviewed the information contained within the Oregon Walks Fatal Pedestrian Crash Report, released earlier this year. They found that there was not a signal incident in which a pedestrian was injured due to talking on their phone or otherwise being distracted, which is often blamed as a common cause of pedestrian accidents in Portland, and that the majority of incidents happen in crosswalks, places where pedestrians are supposed to be safe. Instead, in the vast majority of cases, it was simple errors and mistakes made by the drivers involved. 

According to the August 30, 2021, Bike Portland report, the volunteers say that there are some concrete steps drivers should be encouraged to take, which could help reduce the risk of pedestrian injuries while helping them avoid liability in a pedestrian accident claim. These include:  

• Turn your head before turning your wheel;
• If you cannot actually see a crosswalk, do not assume it is clear;
• Look up from the road and scan the horizon on a regular basis;
• Use a full thirty seconds to plan ahead before making driving decisions, rather than the five seconds drivers typically take before planning turns and traffic stops. 

Contact Our Portland Pedestrian Accident Attorneys

If you are injured in a pedestrian accident, reach out to the Johnston Law Firm P.C. We uncover the real reasons behind these crashes and hold at-fault drivers accountable. Call (503) 546-3167 or contact our Portland pedestrian accident attorneys online to request a consultation today.