Puyallup, Washington – One Dead, Three Injured After Car Crashes into Tree

Puyallup, Washington (July 30, 2019) – One person died and three others were injured in an accident where a car crashed into a tree at the 1900 block of West Stewart Avenue on early Tuesday morning. All victims were taken to local hospitals, but the 16 year-old driver who was in critical condition later died in the hospital. There has been no word regarding the condition of the other three victims.

The incident happened around 1:25 a.m. on Tuesday. According to Puyallup Police Captain, the victims came from a house party with about a dozen other people. They were heading east on West Stewart Street at a high rate of speed and attempted to pass another car, but lost control control of the vehicle and crashed into a tree. Speed and alcohol are being considered factors in the accident.

About Vehicle Accidents

We offer our sympathies and compassion to the friends and loved ones of the victim. Unfortunately, this is not the only case of a fatal car accident. According to facts from the Insurance Institute Highway Safety and Highway Loss Data Institute, about 20% of vehicle crash deaths are from striking a fixed object along the side of the road. The top three fixed objects that are struck in these cases are traffic barriers, utility poles, and similar to this case, trees. As for the causes of crashing into these objects, the case is generally that of driver error. Some of the top contributing factors are alcohol, driving under excessive speed, falling asleep or simply driver inattention. Additionally, a car crash caused by another vehicle can cause another vehicle to crash into another fixed object. Some situational factors are road conditions, weather, and poor visibility. In relation to poor visibility, almost half of the fatalities in crashes involving fixed objects are said to have occurred at night. While there are options such as placing breakaway or shielding objects along roads, or increasing the visibility of such fixed objects, the best solution is often to remove the fixed object if possible.

Regardless of the type of vehicle accident, the best way to solve a car accident is to try and prevent it. We urge all drivers to follow traffic regulations on the road. This includes following road safety, making sure one’s vehicle is stable and ready for the road, and making sure that one is not under the influence of drugs or alcohol before getting behind the wheel. Additionally, one should take extra caution on roads where there are possible hazards. In doing these steps, we can ensure our chances of avoiding any loss, damage, death or injuries while on the street.

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