Safer Streets for Beaverton – DUII is still the number one cause of traffic fatality

#BeavertonPolice

Buzzed driving is drunk driving.
Drive sober or get pulled over.
Under the influence, under arrest.

We have all seen or heard a campaign slogan regarding drinking and driving. We are all aware of the dangers that come for driving while impaired. Yet, DUII is still the number one cause of traffic fatality in the United States. Every day, about 28 people in the United States die in drunk driving crashes- that’s one person every 52 minutes. In 2019, 10,142 people lost their lives to impaired driving. That number increased to 11,654 in 2020, a 14% increase.

The state of Oregon is not immune to the same issues concerning Impaired driving fatalities. In 2019, 35% of those that perished in a traffic crash had a Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) greater than 0.08%. In 2020, 38% of people died in a crash with a BAC higher than 0.08%. The total number of deaths increased by 12% which is consistent with the national average.

These Deaths Are Preventable!!

We all were faced with the trials and tribulations that came in the form of COVID in 2020 and 2021. Law enforcement was tasked with keeping order through all the uncertainties presented to our communities. We observed a noticeable decrease in vehicles on our roadways. This was a major contributor to the decrease in DUII arrests around the City of Beaverton. With the decrease in vehicle traffic, there was an equally noticeable increase in the speeds at which people were driving. These increased speeds combined with those driving impaired has led to an increase in traffic fatalities.

In 2021, the Beaverton Police Department took extra measures to combat impaired driving within our city and reduce the number of fatalities. We have increased training for officers in their abilities to recognize impaired drivers and remove them from our roadways. In 2021, the Beaverton Police Department made 566 DUII arrests. This was the most impaired driving arrests since 2011 when we made 653 arrests.

The Beaverton Police Department was awarded the DUII Agency Of the Year at the 2022 Oregon DUII Multi-Disciplinary Impaired Driving Training Conference. Several members of our agency were on hand to accept the award. It was an honor to be recognized for the efforts our officers have made in keeping the streets in the city of Beaverton safe for everyone.

The Beaverton Police Department is diligent in the efforts to keep all residents and visitors safe to enjoy the amenities this great city has to offer. We cannot do this alone. We need our community to come together to help keep each other safe. If you suspect someone is impaired and not safe to be on our roadways, call 911 and report the matter. We will intervene on your behalf and remove those endangering to our community from our roadways.