If you\u2019ve read BikePortland for a while, you know that we are serious about language and word choice. Way back in 2006 we were one of the first outlets to cover<\/a> the idea that the way we talk about traffic crashes in America is deeply problematic. Since then, the \u201ccrash not accident\u201d movement<\/a> has grown considerably.<\/p>\n The latest step forward on the march toward making \u201ccrash\u201d mainstream is a bill in the Oregon Legislature that seeks to rewrite over 100 existing laws. House Bill 3374<\/a> would replace all references to \u201cvehicle accident\u201d and \u201cvehicle collision\u201d in the Oregon Revised Statutes and two sections of Oregon Administrative Rules with \u201cvehicle crash.\u201d<\/p>\n The bill is sponsored by House Representative Jeff Helfrich<\/a>, a Republican who represents the district (52) that covers Hood River, east Multnomah County, Sandy, and Government Camp. Rep. Helfrich lives in Hood River and is a 25-year veteran of the Portland Police Bureau.<\/p>\n Helfrich\u2019s Chief of Staff Natalie Newgard said the bill was introduced on behalf of former House Rep. Ron Noble. Noble is a member of the Governor\u2019s Advisory Committee on DUII<\/a> and this bill is one of their priorities.<\/p>\n The bill hasn\u2019t been assigned to a committee yet and is still awaiting a public hearing. It should have broad support among transportation safety advocates, many of whom believe that using the term \u201caccident\u201d implies a collision was unavoidable.<\/p>\n The Portland Bureau of Transportation\u2019s Safe Routes to School program wrote in an email newsletter today that using the term \u201caccident\u201d does not align with their goal of making streets safe. \u201cWhen we use the word \u2018accident\u2019 rather than \u2018crash,\u2019 we\u2019re implying that a collision was somehow inevitable. We\u2019re not only absolving the person driving from responsibility but also the local transportation agency,\u201d they wrote in the newsletter. \u201cPBOT has strategic commitments to realize Vision Zero \u2026 part of [that] strategy is reminding ourselves and our communities that crashes are preventable and predictable.\u201d<\/p>\n We\u2019ll monitor the bill and keep you posted on any developments.<\/p>\n If you have questions or feedback about this site or my work, feel free to contact me at @jonathan_maus<\/a> on Twitter, via email at maus.jonathan@gmail.com, or phone\/text at 503-706-8804. Also, if you read and appreciate this site, please become a supporter<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nRelated: <\/em><\/mark><\/strong>Crashes are still \u2018accidents\u2019 at the Oregon DMV<\/a><\/h6>\n
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