Portland traffic deaths decline, but deadly trends persist, PBOT report says

Published 2:27 pm Thursday, March 6, 2025

Although traffic deaths have dropped in the metro area, there are still “deadly trends” in high-crash corridors, according to a new report by the Portland Bureau of Transportation.

The Annual Deadly Traffic Crash Report, released Thursday, March 6, said 58 people were killed in traffic crashes on Portland streets in 2024, compared to a record 69 traffic deaths in 2023. This data also marks the lowest count of traffic deaths since there were 54 killed in 2020.

“While the 19% reduction in traffic deaths in 2024 is a step forward, every life lost remains a tragedy,” Portland Mayor Keith Wilson said. “The City of Portland is committed to Vision Zero, the philosophy that every traffic death is preventable through the right combination of infrastructure, education and enforcement.”

Wide, multi-lane streets and speeding continue to be among the risk factors for these deaths, the report noted. In 2024, 71% of those deaths also occurred on the High Crash Network, the 30 streets and intersections with the most serious crashes.

KOIN 6 News is a news partner of the Portland Tribune. Their full story can be found at koin.com.