Central Oregon traffic fatalities surge 64 percent

There were chaotic scenes Tuesday on Highway 97 south of Redmond, after a three-vehicle head-on crash that sent eight people to area hospitals, some with serious injuries

“Patients, their treatment is No. 1 for us when we get there,” said Oregon State Police Lt. Bill Fugate.

A Ford Explorer crossed over into oncoming traffic and struck a car head-on before crashing into another car.

“In the Ford Explorer, there were six people, two of the children in there, two children were critically injured, one of them was a 6 year-old girl who was flown to St. Charles in Bend,” Fugate said.

Many now just wonder how this could have happened.

“The cause of the crash is still under investigation,” Fugate said.

It was the second crash that day on Highway 97 south of Redmond, and part of a disturbing rise in crashes in the area.

“There has been an increase in crashes,” Fugate said.

According to the Oregon Department of Transportation, the number of fatal crashes in Central Oregon has gone up by 64 percent this year.

“The sheer number is just alarming,” said ODOT spokesman Peter Murphy.

So far this year, there have been 23 fatalities in Central Oregon. Compare that to 14 in all of 2014.

Officials say there are many reasons that contribute to the increase, including an increase in the cars on our roads.

“Traffic volumes are way up,” Murphy said.

At Lava Butte, south of Bend, traffic has been up 20 percent. More traffic means less response for drivers, especially now that the speed limit is going to increase on some sections.

“What it does is, it increases once again the performance level (required) on the drivers’ part,” Murphy said.

Murphy said a median down more of Highway 97, as was added at Lava Butte a few years ago, is currently not in the budget.

“We don’t have enough money to do everything that needs to be done,” Murphy said.