OSP: No Super Bowl weekend road deaths
Preliminary information indicates there were no fatal traffic crashes on Oregon highways during the 2014 Super Bowl weekend between 12:01 a.m., Saturday February 1 , and 5:59 a.m., Monday February 3 .
(That would not include the fatal ATV crash that occurred on private property in Crook County.)
During the weekend, Oregon State Police troopers reported 43 DUII arrests, up from 31 reported arrests during last year’s Super Bowl weekend.
Last year on Oregon roads during Super Bowl weekend (12:01 a.m., Saturday, February 2 , through 5:59 a.m., Monday, February 4 ), two people died in 2 separate fatal traffic crashes in Oregon. Both crashes were investigated by OSP , one of which was alcohol-involved. Over the last eight years, 16 people have died in traffic crashes on Oregon roads during Super Bowl weekend.
According to NHTSA, impaired drivers contribute to Super Bowl Sunday becoming one of the most dangerous days on the road. Nationwide, approximately 48 percent of traffic fatalities on Super Bowl Sunday involve a driver or motorcycle operator with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 percent or higher.
Since 2007, OSP troopers have arrested over 300 DUII drivers during Super Bowl weekends. Preliminary DUII arrest statistics reported for OSP offices this year with two or more arrests during the nationwide effort to remove impaired drivers from the road:
*Portland Area Command – 7 DUII arrests
*Springfield Area Command – 7 DUII arrests
*Albany Area Command – 4 DUII arrests
*Astoria Area Command – 3 DUII arrests
*Salem Area Command – 3 DUII arrests
*Central Point Area Command – 3 DUII arrests
*Grants Pass Work Site – 3 DUII arrests
*Bend Area Command – 2 DUII arrests
*Coos Bay Area Command – 2 DUII arrests
*Klamath Falls Area Command – 2 DUII arrests
Questions regarding other law enforcement agency DUII arrest statistics should be directed to those agencies.
OSP , Oregon State Sheriffs’ Association, Oregon Association Chiefs of Police and ODOT thank everyone who made the right call and placed the keys in the hands of a designated sober driver.
