Portland, OR – Drivers across Oregon are being urged to use extreme caution this Blackout Wednesday, as one of the nation’s busiest bar nights overlaps with early Thanksgiving travel along major routes including I-5, I-84, and US-26.
According to Alcohol.org, the Wednesday before Thanksgiving—widely known as Blackout Wednesday or “Drinksgiving”—has become one of America’s highest alcohol-consumption nights. In 2022, liquor orders spiked 156% compared to the prior Wednesday, while beer sales rose 85% and cocktail orders climbed 69%. Public-health experts attribute the sharp increase to holiday stress, extended weekends and large pre-feast social gatherings.
National traffic-safety data shows motorists are 55% more likely to encounter an impaired driver on Thanksgiving compared to an average day. Between 2017 and 2021, more than 830 people nationwide were killed in drunk-driving crashes during the Thanksgiving travel period.
The Oregon State Police, along with departments in Portland, Salem, Eugene, Gresham, Hillsboro and Bend, are expanding DUI enforcement Wednesday night. Troopers warn that I-5, I-84, US-26, and nightlife hubs such as Portland’s Pearl District, Old Town, Eugene’s campus area, Bend’s Downtown and popular college districts near UO and OSU often see elevated impairment-related incidents as students return home and bar crowds swell.
National trends reinforce this concern. Cities like Indianapolis and Minneapolis report Blackout Wednesday can surpass New Year’s Eve and St. Patrick’s Day for DUI arrests—an emerging pattern Oregon officials say applies here as well, especially with the state’s dense urban nightlife, rural highway stretches and rising holiday travel volume.
Drivers are encouraged to avoid late-night travel, plan sober transportation and report suspected impaired motorists immediately.
