Photo: Portland Bureau of Transportation
The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) urges the traveling public to use caution and understand that the season brings with it a higher risk of traffic deaths on our streets. The change to Daylight Saving Time will cause it to get darker earlier.
Pedestrian crashes rise dramatically in fall and winter when days are darker compared to spring and summer. For the 10 years through 2024, Portland had an average of 23.3 traffic crashes per month involving pedestrians from October to March, compared to 16.9 from April to September.
Both pedestrians and drivers often overestimate nighttime visibility.
A variety of hazards are built into cars that make it more difficult for drivers to see. So drivers need to take extra care at night, since the impact of fast-moving, heavy steel vehicles can kill or seriously injure people who are walking or biking.
Built-in obstacles that make it harder for drivers to see include:
- The A-pillar. The post that supports the windshield in most cars, separating it from side windows, creates a blind spot that blocks the view of pedestrians and other vehicles at intersections.
- A wet windshield, rain and glare from other vehicles can obscure vision.
- Dark areas with little or no lighting make it harder to see other travelers.
Hit and run driving has increased since the pandemic. A recent national study found 25% of pedestrian deaths came from hit-and-run drivers in 2024, up from an average 20% from 2015 to 2019.
One of the most common pedestrian crash types on High Crash Network streets in Portland involves a pedestrian walking in a crosswalk and being hit by a left-turning driver.
When people are turning left, they drive faster because they have a wider radius than with right turns, drivers often cut the centerline when turning left, and the car frame creates a blind spot. Slowing turning speeds and improving drivers’ view of the crosswalk will help prevent these crashes.
If you're dressed in dark clothing at night, use extra caution while walking or biking. Understand that drivers' ability to see you is limited by rain, glare and blind spots built into cars.
Stay alert and avoid distractions, like looking at your phone. In dark areas, try using your phone as a flashlight to make yourself more visible to people passing in vehicles.
Dress as visibly as possible when traveling outside of a motor vehicle.
Did you know that pedestrians wearing reflective clothing are visible to people driving up to 500 feet away? Compare that to just 55 feet away when pedestrians wear dark colors and no reflective gear or lights.
If you do choose to wear dark clothing, take care to look both ways when crossing the street and assume drivers may not see you.
Source: Portland Bureau of Transportation