Preliminary information reported to ODOT’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) indicates 6 people died in five separate traffic crashes in Oregon during the 78-hour 2014 Labor Day holiday period between 6:00 p.m., August 29, and 11:59 p.m., September 1. This year’s six recorded deaths is the deadliest Labor Day holiday period since 2008 when 12 people died in Oregon traffic crashes. * On August 30 at approximately 2:56 p.m., a 74-year old bicyclist from St. Helens was killed when a distracted driver struck him from behind as he rode westbound on Highway 30 west of Rainier in Columbia County. * On August 30 at approximately 4:08 p.m., a 40-year old Winchester man died in a single vehicle rollover crash southbound on Interstate 5 near Wolf Creek in Josephine County. * On August 31 at approximately 3:00 p.m., a 47-year old male and 51-year old female, both from Winston, died when the motorcycle they were riding on crossed the centerline and collided with a pickup along Highway 138E about 22 miles east of Glide in Douglas County. * On September 1 at approximately 11:53 a.m., a 48-year old male from Florence died when he stepped in front of a passenger car on Highway 101 two miles north of Florence.* On September 1 at approximately 3:50 a.m., a 27-year old Lebanon woman died in a single vehicle rollover traffic crash on Highway 34 west of Lebanon. During the 2013 Labor Day holiday period, two people died in 2 separate traffic crashes. The deadliest Labor Day holiday period occurred in 1978 when there were 17 reported deaths. Since 1970, nearly 300 people have died in traffic crashes in Oregon during the Labor Day holiday 78-hour reporting periods. OSP troopers reported 45 DUII arrests statewide during this year’s holiday period. Last year, troopers reported 54 DUII arrests.
