(Nov. 3, 2025) With the end of daylight savings time, darker conditions increase traffic safety risks on Portland streets. The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) urges everyone to travel with care. This reminder follows three deadly crashes last week in East Portland’s Hazelwood and Gateway neighborhoods.
Pedestrian deaths increase as days get darker
Pedestrian crashes increase sharply from summer to winter as daylight hours shrink. For 10 years through 2023, Portland averaged 20 traffic crashes a month involving pedestrians. Those crashes weren’t spread evenly throughout the year: an average of 14 occurred in July, 19 in September, and 27 in December.
Last year, 83% of traffic deaths last year occurred in darker conditions (which includes dusk, nighttime, and dawn). Of all pedestrian deaths last year, 86% occurred in darker conditions. These trends are consistent with traffic safety research.
Nighttime travel is especially dangerous
Research shows that nighttime pedestrian deaths have been rising for years — especially on wide, high-speed streets. Higher speeds, poor visibility, and distraction make nighttime travel especially dangerous.
More than half of deadly crashes this year in District 2
This year, traffic deaths are notably lower across the city. The Vision Zero program has reported 31 deadly crashes that meet National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reporting criteria. This is significantly less than the 46 crashes at this time in 2024. However, even one death is unacceptable. More than half (52% or 16people) of this year’s deadly crashes occurred in City Council District 2, followed by District 1 (29% or 9 people), District 3 (13% or 4 people), and District 4 (6% or 2 people).
From year to year, deadly crashes vary geographically (District 1 had nearly half in 2023), but the pattern of traffic deaths on High Crash Network streets and intersections is consistent.
Slower speeds lower the risk of crashes
It’s important that people driving vehicles slow down and travel at or below the speed limit. When crashes occur, slower speeds make it less likely that people are killed or seriously injured. A pedestrian struck by a person driving 20 mph is four times more likely to survive than a pedestrian struck at 40 mph. At slower speeds, a person driving a vehicle has greater ability to see the roadway and requires less reaction and breaking distance to stop for an obstruction or road user.
Motor vehicle and roadway hazards for drivers
A variety of hazards are built into motor vehicles and the roadway that make it more difficult for drivers to see:
- The A-pillar posts that support the windshield in most cars, and separates it from side windows, creates a blind spot — blocking 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 road users.
People driving need to take extra care at night, since the impact of fast-moving, heavy vehicles can kill or seriously injure people who are walking, biking, or rolling.
One in five serious crashes involves left turns
About 20% of pedestrian crashes happen when people driving motor vehicles turn left and fail to yield to people in the crosswalk at signalized intersections.
Because left turns have a wider turning radius, drivers need to take extra care to slow down and stay within their lane. Look carefully for pedestrians who may be hidden by the car’s frame.
PBOT is installing safety treatments along High Crash Network streets and intersections. Raised center medians reduce the number of left-turning conflicts along busy corridors. Intersection safety measures like centerline hardening and pedestrian head starts make intersections safer for everyone by helping to slow vehicles’ turning speeds and improve visibility in the crosswalk.
We all have a responsibility to help make our streets safe
As we prepare for darker, rainier weather, it is important that people driving slow down, stay alert, and look out for people walking, biking, and rolling on the street.
- Slow down and travel at or below the speed limit
- Take care when making turns and approaching crosswalks
- Always turn on headlights
- Maintain a safe distance between vehicles
- Keep windshields clean
- Stay alert and avoid distractions — it’s illegal to drive while holding and using a cell phone
- Dress as visibly as possible when traveling outside of a motor vehicle
PBOT is addressing visibility on Portland’s highest-crash streets through streetlight, signals, striping, and sign improvements
Streetlighting
Streetlights make it easier for people to avoid crashes and can reduce the incidence of crashes at specific locations. Better street lighting is critical for Portland to meet its Vision Zero goal to eliminate traffic deaths and serious injuries.
PBOT continues to invest in street lighting to improve safety in dark conditions. The Vision Zero Action Plan Update 2023-25 calls the bureau to add lighting on High Crash Network streets. PBOT’s lighting guidelines call for consistent illumination across and along major streets. Infill lighting combined with tweaks to existing lights support safety while conserving energy.
New street lighting is underway on 82nd Avenue, outer NE Halsey Street, outer NE Glisan Street, NE Killingsworth Street, and SW Capitol Highway. In 2026, lighting will be updated on NE 102nd Avenue, 122nd Avenue, Columbia Boulevard, and inner E Burnside Street, with outer SE Division and Stark streets following shortly after.
Signals
PBOT’s Signals and Streetlighting team is improving signal visibility across the city. Crews are replacing older 8-inch signal lenses with standard 12-inch ones and adding retroreflective yellow borders to signal backboards to make them easier to see.
Striping
Striping our streets makes travel lane boundaries more visible. This year, crews restriped the entire High Crash Network with more reflective beads to make lane markings easier to see at night. As of last month, PBOT crews striped 2,800 miles.
Signs
As fall rains return, the Traffic Signs and Markings team turns to a continued project that they can work on in wetter conditions: The epic job of installing 32,000 new, high visibility street name signs all around town. In previous years, they replaced street signs in outer Southeast Portland. fall, the crew is continuing their systematic sign replacement in Northeast Portland from N Williams to NE 82nd avenues.
This careful work requires crews to inspect every sign — street, traffic, and parking — along with their posts. Anything that’s damaged, faded, missing, or no longer enforceable is replaced.
Learn more about Vision Zero, the City of Portland’s goal to eliminate traffic deaths and serious injuries on our streets, at
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