Oregon car accident statistics (2020-2024)

Car accident deaths in Oregon by year

Car accident deaths increased from 404 in 2020 to 506 in 2021, then reached 513 in 2022. The count fell to 503 in 2023 and 455 in 2024. Within this period, 2022 had the highest count and 2020 had the lowest. The 2024 count was 51 deaths higher than the 2020 count.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

Oregon's share of the national car accident death total was 1.2% in 2020 and 1.4% in each year from 2021 through 2024. For the full period, Oregon accounted for 1.4% of the 176,219 deaths nationally. The share of Oregon traffic deaths involving these crashes ranged from 79.7% in 2020 to 85.7% in 2023.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

2024 figures come from the FARS Annual Report File and can be revised when NHTSA publishes the final file.

Who died in Oregon car accidents

People in cars, SUVs, pickups or vans accounted for 1,714 deaths, or 72.0% of Oregon's car accident deaths from 2020 through 2024. This was the largest person category. People in other vehicles accounted for 229 deaths, or 9.6%, the smallest category. Nonoccupants (FARS person-type grouping) accounted for 438 deaths, or 18.4%.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

These labels describe the people who died in the selected passenger-vehicle-involved crashes. They do not limit the count to passenger vehicle occupants. The nonoccupant label follows the FARS person-type grouping and is not a literal test of a person's position outside a vehicle.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Collision types and setting

By manner of collision, Head-on recorded 512 deaths; Angle (side impact), 407; Rear-end, 119; Sideswipe, 63; Other, 2; and Unknown, 7. Not a collision with a motor vehicle in transport accounted for 1,271 deaths, or 53.4%. That label means the first harmful event was not between motor vehicles in transport, such as a fixed-object impact or rollover. Vehicles stopped in traffic can be in transport.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Daytime accounted for 1,225 car accident deaths (51.4%); nighttime, 1,123 (47.2%); and unknown time, 33 (1.4%). Urban locations recorded 1,079 deaths (45.3%), while rural locations recorded 1,302 (54.7%). These figures describe deaths rather than counts of fatal crashes.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Counties with the most car accident deaths

Multnomah County had the most car accident deaths during 2020 through 2024, with 330, followed by Marion County with 211 and Lane County with 195. Clackamas County recorded 163 deaths; Washington County, 135; Douglas County, 134; and Klamath County, 114. Jackson County and Linn County each recorded 112 deaths. Deschutes County had 99; Josephine County, 75; Coos County, 63; Yamhill County, 58; Clatsop County, 54; and Lincoln County, 52.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

Death counts and population-based rates give different comparisons. Among the listed counties, Klamath County had the highest average annual rate at 32.5 deaths per 100,000 residents, while Washington County had the lowest at 4.5. Multnomah County's rate was 8.2. These rate rankings apply only among the listed counties.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

Up to 15 counties with the most deaths in the period, largest first. Rates for counties with few deaths change sharply with each death.

How Oregon compares with the national rate

Oregon's car accident death rate was 11.2, compared with the national rate of 10.5. Both figures measure average annual deaths per 100,000 residents for 2020 through 2024. Oregon's rate was higher than the national rate. The corresponding death counts were 2,381 for Oregon and 176,219 for the United States.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

The calculation divides deaths during the period by the sum of annual Census Bureau population estimates and multiplies by 100,000. It does not adjust for miles driven or visitors. Oregon's July 1, 2024 population estimate of 4,265,324 is shown separately and is not the denominator. Whether your search is for statistics or a car accident lawyer, keep the crash-location grouping in mind when reading these rates.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

About these figures

NHTSA's census of fatal motor vehicle traffic crashes is FARS. For a crash to qualify for inclusion, it must involve a motor vehicle traveling on a trafficway customarily open to the public, with an occupant or nonoccupant death occurring within 30 days. Neither nonfatal crashes nor injuries are included. Counts for states and counties are based on where the crash occurred, not where the deceased person resided.^[8][6][7]

The 2020 through 2023 figures use FARS Final Files. The 2024 Annual Report File figures can change when the Final File replaces them. Rates divide 2020 through 2024 deaths by summed annual Census Bureau population estimates from Vintage 2025, then multiply by 100,000. This gives average annual deaths per 100,000 residents without adjusting for miles driven or visitors. The separate July 1, 2024 estimate is not the denominator.^[8][6][7]

See also

• FARS Annual Report File and Final File
• Car accident statistics for Multnomah County, Oregon (2020-2024)
• Car accident statistics for Marion County, Oregon (2020-2024)
• Car accident statistics for Lane County, Oregon (2020-2024)