There were no known traffic fatalities in Oregon during the 30-hour Christmas holiday reporting period, according to preliminary information from the Oregon Department of Transportation.
The reporting period began at 6 p.m., Dec. 24 and ended at 11:59 p.m. on Dec. 25. There was, however, a fatality at approximately 2:45 p.m. on Dec. 24 in Multnomah County.
If the preliminary information holds true, this was the second fatal-free Christmas holiday period since 1970. The only other known fatal-free holiday period occurred during a similar 30-hour reporting period in 1996. The deadliest Christmas holiday period occurred 30 years ago (1983) when ten people were killed in traffic crashes.
During last year’s 102-hour reporting period, three people died in 3 separate fatal traffic crashes and troopers reported 53 DUII arrests. OSP, sheriff’s departments and city police agencies in Oregon and around the nation are continuing stepped up DUII enforcement as part of the “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign through Jan. 1, 2014.
