Portland traffic down, fatal crashes up Fewer people are on the roads these days, but more seem to be driving dangerously. The number of fatal crashes in the Portland area has been steadily increasing over the past two years and the trend doesn't appear to be slowing down. There were 54 traffic deaths in 2020, according to Portland Bureau of Transportation Director of Communications John Brady. The Portland area had seen four fatal crashes by this time in 2019 and seven by this time in 2020. So far in 2021, there have been 10 deadly crashes. "When people drive less, there are usually less fatalities and less crashes," said Brady. "We didn't see that."