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Crash analysis flags young drivers, nighttime conditions and impairment as priority safety areas in Bend
Summary
Consultants told Bend’s TAP advisory committee that five years of crash data (2019–2023) show over 5,000 crashes with 27 fatalities and 175 serious injuries; emphasis areas include young drivers, nighttime conditions and impairment, and 39 intersections and several corridors were identified for priority safety work.
Consultants presenting to the Bend Transportation Safety Action Plan Project Advisory Committee said their five-year crash review (2019–2023) shows "just over 5,000 crashes, 27 of which were fatal and 175 serious injury," and that fatal and serious outcomes are concentrated in specific conditions and locations.
The analysis combined a systemwide crash-pattern review with a network screening that weighted fatal and serious crashes most heavily to rank intersections and half-mile segments. Joel Mccol of DPS Associates said intersection-related crashes account for about 70% of reported collisions, while bicyclist and pedestrian crashes make up a small share of total crashes but a much larger share of fatal and serious outcomes.
Why it matters: the study team marked young drivers (ages 18–24), nighttime/low-light conditions, and alcohol or drug impairment as the top emphasis areas because those factors are overrepresented among fatal and serious-injury crashes. Joel Mccol summarized the data trend: "we're seeing an over representation of fatal and serious injury crashes when there's low light conditions relative to the number of crashes that we're seeing." The presentation also found speed and impaired driving are frequent contributors to severe outcomes.
The network screening produced a short list of priority locations: 39 intersections ranked in the top 1% and multiple half-mile segments that cluster into corridors (Third Street, Greenwood/US‑20, Bear Creek and portions of Powers were noted). Miranda Barers, who led the mapping work, explained the screening assigns 100 points to fatal/serious crashes, 10 to moderate injuries and 1 to property-damage-only crashes to prioritize locations for more intensive study.
The consultants emphasized that some high-ranking locations already have planned or programmed projects (for example, recent or planned roundabouts), and because crash data lag, safety benefits of recent improvements may not yet appear in the five-year window. They recommended interpreting clusters holistically — in some places the solution will be corridor-level changes, in others targeted intersection work or behavioral interventions.
What the data suggest for action: the team recommended a mix of responses — targeted countermeasures at priority locations (signage, geometry changes, roundabouts where appropriate), systemwide speed-management and visibility improvements, and non-infrastructure measures such as enforcement and behavioral campaigns to address impairment and distraction.
Next steps: the TAP team will finalize the technical memo, identify about 10 priority locations for deeper study, and develop strategy recommendations to bring back to the PAC this summer/fall for further review and community engagement.
