Portland transportation bureau warns of increased crash risks as daylight savings ends

The Portland Bureau of Transportation issued a safety advisory on October 30, 2026, urging residents to exercise caution as Halloween celebrations coincide with the end of daylight savings time. The agency warned that the approaching end of daylight savings time on Sunday, November 1, marks a period where pedestrian deaths typically rise due to shorter days and reduced visibility.

Data from the past decade illustrates this seasonal shift. From October through March, Portland recorded an average of 23.3 monthly traffic crashes involving pedestrians. In contrast, the average dropped to 16.9 per month during the brighter months of April through September. The bureau noted that both drivers and pedestrians often overestimate how well they can see one another in low-light conditions.

Vehicle design contributes to these visibility challenges. The A-pillar, the structural post supporting the windshield, creates a blind spot that can hide pedestrians or other vehicles at intersections. Wet windshields, rain, and glare from other headlights further obscure a driver's view. When these factors combine, the risk of severe injury or death increases for people walking or biking near fast-moving steel vehicles.

Statistical trends also show a rise in hit and run incidents. A national study found that 25% of pedestrian deaths in 2024 involved a driver who fled the scene. This figure represents a jump from the 20% average recorded between 2015 and 2019. On Portland's High Crash Network streets, a frequent accident pattern involves a pedestrian in a crosswalk being struck by a vehicle making a left turn.

Drivers often accelerate during left turns because the maneuver allows for a wider radius. They may also cut the centerline, and the car's frame can block the view of the crosswalk. PBOT recommends that drivers slow down during these turns and actively scan the crosswalk area to reduce these collisions.

The bureau is also implementing infrastructure changes to address these risks. Its Vision Zero Action Plan for 2026-27 prioritizes adding street lighting to high crash corridors, specifically targeting areas with higher populations of people of color and low-income residents. In 2025, crews completed new lighting on four specific streets: NE Halsey from 114th to 162nd avenues, 82nd Avenue from Killingsworth to Clatsop streets, NE Glisan from 82nd to 162nd avenues, and SW Capitol Highway/49th Avenue from Barbur Boulevard to Stephenson Street.

Visibility equipment offers a measurable difference for pedestrians. People wearing reflective clothing can be seen by drivers from up to 500 feet away. Those wearing dark colors without lights are visible from only 55 feet away. The bureau advises pedestrians in dark clothing to look both ways and assume that drivers may not see them.

Meanwhile, PBOT's Traffic Signs and Markings team is installing 32,000 new high visibility street name signs across the city. Crews replaced signs east of 82nd Avenue between 2023 and 2025 and have continued work west of that avenue in Northeast and North Portland since 2025. They are skipping streets that will receive signs through upcoming capital projects or other recent programs to avoid duplication.