Oregon highway crash that killed 7 farmworkers highlights often overlooked danger
After seven farmworkers were killed last week in a fatal collision outside Albany, advocates are calling for increased road safety efforts for agricultural workers.
Transportation incidents have been the largest killer of farmworkers in the United States.
The Mexican Consulate in Portland said in a statement on social media that all seven victims were agricultural workers from Mexico. PCUN, Oregon's farmworker union, also said the van's 11 passengers were farmworkers.
"At this time, families are asking for safer roads for workers commuting after a hard day's work," PCUN executive director Reyna Lopez said in a statement.
Saif, Oregon's worker's compensation insurance company, will cover funeral costs and pay for families to send remains home, according to several farmworker aid organizations.
Oregon State Police identified the victims Monday afternoon as: Eduardo Lopez, 31, of Gervais; Alejandro Jimenez Hernandez, 36, of Gervais; Josue Garcia Garcia, 30, of Salem; Luis Enrique Gomez Reyes, 30, of Woodburn; Javier Suarez, 58, of Woodburn; Alejandra Espinoza Carpio, 39; and Juan Carlos Leyva Carrillo, 37, of Woodburn.
Three people were still being treated for serious injuries, according to police.
The driver of the semi that hit the passenger van, Lincoln Smith, is facing charges of DUII, reckless driving, assault and manslaughter.
Transportation a deadly threat to farmworkers
This is not the first time in recent history that agricultural workers have been killed on Oregon roads during their workday.
Three farmworkers were killed and 10 more injured in 2019 driving home from working at a Christmas tree farm near Salem. A pickup truck hit the workers' van, which was carrying 15 passengers and a driver, as the van turned left at an intersection.
Nationally, "transportation incidents," including tractor accidents, accounted for the most farmworker deaths in 2020, according to data from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.
And transportation is the second-deadliest hazard for Oregon agricultural workers, according to the most recent data from Oregon's occupational fatalities report. Forty-six farmworkers were killed in transportation incidents between 2010-2020. The first is "contact with objects and equipment, which killed 67 workers during that same period.
Winter is technically the most dangerous season for farmworkers on the road, according to the Department of Labor and data from Oregon Department of Transportation. But spring and summer in the Willamette Valley are busy times for the area's agricultural industry. More farmworkers are on the roads commuting to and from work as harvest season ramps up, PCUN said.
There have been 172 fatalities on Oregon roads so far this year, according to data from the Oregon Department of Transportation. Six hundred people died in vehicle collisions last year.
Support incoming
Several farmworker advocacy groups, including PCUN, Oregon Human Development Corporation, Mid-Willamette Valley Community Action and AWARE food bank are working with the victims' families and with each other to offer support.
OYEN Emotional Wellness Center is offering free counseling to family members impacted by the accident.
A centralized GoFundMe is in the works for victims' families, but details have not yet been released.
The Statesman Journal will share any support efforts as they are unveiled.
Shannon Sollitt covers agricultural workers through Report for America, a program that aims to support local journalism and democracy by reporting on under-covered issues and communities. Send tips, questions and comments to ssollitt@statesmanjournal.com.
This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Deadly Oregon highway crash reflects often overlooked danger
