Portland’s drivers are becoming more accident prone, according to a new study by Allstate Insurance.
Every year, Allstate ranks 200 cities in terms of the frequency of car crashes.
Ten years ago, Portland ranked 89th. This year, the city is 181st — that is close to the worst in the nation.
Put another way, Portland drivers are now 39 percent more likely to have a crash than the nation’s average driver.
Dylan Rivera is with the Portland Bureau of Transportation, “We’re a growing, thriving metropolitan region. As we grow we have more people using our streets and so more potential for traffic congestion and more potential for collisions."
He said the city focuses on reducing fatal crashes rather than the fender benders the study is primarily looking at.
A spokesman for the state said as the economy has improved, Portland is seeing more drivers and more freight on the roads.
Copyright 2016 Oregon Public Broadcasting
