Skip to Content
Streetsblog USA home
Streetsblog USA home
Log In

A Portland woman whose son was killed by a drunk hit-and-run driver has proposed a new method to apprehend motorists who flee the scene of a deadly collision. She hopes to bring an Amber Alert-like notification system to Portland to help nab the bad guys. The proposal is based on a system that's already up and running in Denver, reports Michael Andersen at Bike Portland:

Portland's Kristi Finney, whose son was killed by a drunk driver, is pushing for an Amber Alert-like notification system to catch the perpetrators in hit-and-run crashes. Photo: Bike Portland
Portland's Kristi Finney, whose son was killed by a drunk driver who fled the scene, is pushing for an Amber Alert-like notification system to catch the perpetrators in hit-and-run crashes. Photo: Bike Portland
false

Kristy Finney, whose son Dustin was killed in 2011 by a man driving drunk on Southeast Division Street, is modeling her proposal on a similar system already in use in Colorado for "cases involving serious injury or death -- and when a reliable description of the fleeing vehicle is available."

Last week, Colorado's governor signed a statewide rollout of apparently successful pilot programs in Denver and Aurora.

"The notification goes to all patrol cars, cabdrivers, news outlets, truck drivers and pedicab operators. A message is displayed on traffic reader boards and on Crime Stoppers' Twitter and Facebook accounts," adds the Denver Post.

That paper reported last year that seven such alerts had been issued in the area in 2012-2013, and "some have resulted in arrests."

KATU-TV first reported last month on Finney's campaign here in Portland, adding that "more than 1,200 cab drivers and 7,500 UPS trucks" are already enrolled in the Colorado programs. For Finney, who's become an important figure in the local street safety world, it's a way to marry modern technology with the public's willingness to help apprehend criminals.

It also takes advantage of existing regulations that gather the contact information of professional drivers.

There's a discussion in the Bike Portland comments about how effective this system would be and whether it could safely alert people who are behind the wheel. What do you think?

Elsewhere on the Network today: PubliCola at SeattleMet reveals that a "coalition of groups" opposing a Seattle transit ballot measure appears to be composed of phantom organizations. Portland Transport says that in order for transit to function well on routes that include transfers, service needs to be relatively frequent. And Rails-to-Trails reports that an international working group on cycling safety is calling for a mix of speed control and protected bike infrastructure in cities.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog USA

Breaking: US DOT is Coming For America’s ‘DEI’ Dollars, Threatening ‘Sanctuary’ Cities With Pulled Funds

Advocates are raising the alarm about yet another vague and disturbingly broad letter from Sean Duffy — and the fierce battle that's likely to follow it.

April 24, 2025

Talking Headways Podcast: Just Action Under the Color of Law

Leah Rothstein on the book she wrote with her father Richard about the fight against housing segregation in America.

April 24, 2025

Thursday’s Headlines, Big and Small

Smaller cities should try congestion pricing, too. Plus, the latest in the tiff between Sean Duffy and Kathy Hochul.

April 24, 2025

Disorder in the Court: U.S. DOT Lawyers Upload Memo Admitting Their Congestion Pricing Case is Weak

Lawyers advising U.S. DOT Secretary Sean Duffy make it clear: His case to end congestion pricing is weak.

April 24, 2025

Why Are Many States Trying to Ban Cities From Slowing Down Drivers?

Texas could soon become the latest state to ban its cities from reclaiming lane space from drivers — and now that Trump is in office, some fear that more will follow.

April 24, 2025
See all posts