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14 <br />EUGENE VISION ZERO <br />We see people driving while using <br />their phones every day. However, <br />distracted driving is difficult to <br />capture via crash statistics, as officers have not <br />been allowed to cite distraction without seeing <br />it firsthand. A recent study using broad cell <br />phone data found that distracted driving was <br />involved in over 50 percent of trips nationally <br />that resulted in a crash.3 Starting October 1, <br />2017, Oregon House Bill 2597 enabled Oregon <br />police to more actively target distracted drivers, <br />giving the police the power to cite anyone holding <br />a mobile device while driving, regardless of <br />whether they see active talking, texting, and other <br />use.4 Opportunities for distracted driving are not <br />likely to go away soon, this legislation provides <br />a potentially key tool to police to help combat a <br />persistent problem that is difficult to otherwise <br />detect. Each of us can also play a key role in <br />stopping distracted driving. Go to https://www. <br />eugene-or.gov/VisionZero to take the pledge not <br />to engage with your mobile phone while driving. <br />If you need to use your phone, take a moment to <br />pull over to a safe place away from traffic. It can <br />wait. <br />Impairment <br />Alcohol and drug impairment contributes <br />substantially to fatalities in Eugene for all modes. <br />While impairment is a factor in less than five <br />percent of crashes overall, it plays a part in 50 <br />percent of fatal motorcyclist crashes, 47 percent <br />of fatal pedestrian crashes, 40 percent of fatal <br />motorist crashes, and 29% of fatal bicyclist <br />crashes. <br />When impairment is involved in a serious or fatal <br />pedestrian or bicycle crash, pedestrians were found <br />to be impaired 72 percent of the time, and bicyclists <br />86 percent of the time. In some crashes, both <br />3 Cambridge Mobile Telematics, 2017. https://www. <br />cmtelematics.com/press/new-data-cambridge-mobile- <br />telematics-shows-distracted-driving-dangers/ <br />4 The law includes exceptions for those for whom <br />communication is a necessary part of their job. See OR-HB <br />2597 for more details. <br />Failure to yield: One or more parties <br />involved in the crash did not follow <br />proper yielding law and caused <br />the crash. Examples of this are <br />improperly proceeding through an <br />all-way stop intersection, failing to <br />yield when turning, or failing to stop <br />for a pedestrian crossing the street. <br />Speeding: This category includes <br />crashes where drivers are cited <br />either for driving in excess of the <br />posted speed, or driving too fast <br />for conditions. The latter occurs <br />when driving the speed limit is <br />actually hazardous, such as during <br />rain or a snowstorm. <br />Careless driving: Careless driving <br />is a traffic violation that occurs <br />when a person “drives any vehicle... <br />in a manner that endangers or <br />would be likely to endanger any <br />person or property.” 1 <br />Reckless driving: Reckless driving <br />is a Class A misdemeanor and <br />is charged by the responding <br />officer when a person “is aware <br />of and consciously disregards a <br />substantial and unjustifiable risk <br />that the result will occur or that the <br />circumstance exists.” The driver <br />does not take the same standard <br />of care that “a reasonable person <br />would observe in the situation.”2 <br />Disregarding traffic control: A <br />person who disregards traffic <br />control fails to stop for any traffic <br />control device including: a standard <br />traffic signal, pedestrian hybrid <br />beacon (such as on Broadway west <br />of Patterson Street), or stop sign. <br />1 Oregon Revised Statutes, 811.135 <br />2 Oregon Revised Statutes 161.085. <br />April 10, 2019, Work Session – Item 1