Shoreline, Washington – Vehicle Thief Injured After Crashing Stolen Truck

Shoreline, Washington (September 9, 2019) – A vehicle thief sustained non-life-threatening injuries after crashing a stolen flat-bed truck near 8th Avenue Northeast on early Monday morning. Deputies arrested the thief, but also brought him to Harborview Medical Center for treatment. No other injuries were reported in the incident.

The incident started in the 18500 block of block of 8th Avenue Northeast, where the thief stole a flatbed truck. He the drove a few blocks north, but ended crashing against several cars and into some trees near North City Elementary School. No road closures were announced, and the crash was said to have been cleaned up before classes started later that day.

About Vehicle Accidents

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 at excessive speeds, 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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