OSP: 2 die on Ore. roads over Super Bowl weekend
Preliminary information indicates two people died in two separate crashes in Oregon during the Super Bowl weekend between 12:01 a.m., Saturday and 5:59 a.m. Monday, Oregon State Police reported.
During the weekend, OSP troopers reported 31 DUII arrests, down from 38 reported arrests during last year’s Super Bowl weekend.
According to ODOT’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) the following is information of the two confirmed fatal traffic crashes:
* On Saturday, February 2, 2013 at approximately 7:42 a.m., a citizen notified police of a traffic crash off Highway 53 just north of the Highway 101 junction in Tillamook County. The single vehicle fatal traffic crash occurred at an unknown time during the night and resulted in the death of 36-year old Nehalem man. OSP is the lead investigating agency.
* On Sunday, February 3, 2013 at approximately 8:20 p.m., a single vehicle fatal traffic crash occurred at the end of Highway 213 west of Interstate 205 in Clackamas County that resulted in the death of an 80-year old Kettle, Washington man. OSP is the lead investigating agency and alcohol is a possible contributing factor.
Last year, three people died in three separate traffic crashes in Oregon during Super Bowl weekend.
According to NHTSA, Super Bowl Sunday has become one of the nation’s most dangerous days on the road due to impaired driving. Forty-eight percent of fatalities nationwide on Super Bowl Sunday involve a driver or motorcycle with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 percent or higher.
In addition in 2010, alcohol impairment among drivers involved in fatal crashes was almost twice as high during the weekend (31%) than during weekdays (16%) and four times higher at night (37%) than during the day (9%).
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:
* Grants Pass Work Site – 6 DUII arrests
* Central Point Area Command office – 4 DUII arrests
* Portland Area Command office – 4 DUII arrests
* Klamath Falls Area Command office – 4 DUII arrests
* Springfield Area Command office – 4 DUII arrests
* Salem Area Command office – 2 DUII arrests
OSP, Oregon State Sheriffs’ Association, Oregon Association Chiefs of Police and ODOT thanks everyone who made the right call and placed the keys in the hands of a designated sober driver.
