Lane County has the unhappy distinction of having the highest rate of traffic fatalities of any Oregon county. Leaders hope to increase road safety and heighten awareness of the problem.
In 2015, 57 people were killed and 3,242 injured on Lane County roads. Nationally, there was an 8 percent increase in traffic fatalities. Oregon leads that statistic with a 27 percent increase. Lane County Commissioner Sid Leiken says the Oregon Transportation Department has funded a consultant to help improve traffic safety.
Leiken: “What can we do to help combat this? Because this is not what Lane County want to be known for is the state with the highest traffic fatalities in the State of Oregon.”
Leiken says county public works has been investigating where accidents occur and how signage can help drivers slow down on rural roads. Lane County, Eugene, Springfield, Coburg and Lane Transit District have joined together in the Safe Lane Transportation Coalition to address traffic safety.
