Shoreline, Washington – Two People Hospitalized for Injuries After Multiple Collisions Involving Four Vehicles

Shoreline, Washington (July 16, 2019) – Multiple collisions involving four vehicles on the Interstate 5 near Northeast 155th Street resulted in two people being hospitalized. The victims sustained non-life-threatening injuries and were taken to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle for treatment.

The incident was first reported around 2:40 a.m on early Tuesday morning. The causing driver rear-ended another car and fled, eventually abandoning his damaged vehicle near Metro Bus Barn exit and attempting to escape on foot. A semi-truck later crashed into the car he left behind. Meanwhile, aperson in the first car that had been struck  went out of their vehicle to check the damage and was also struck by another car that was driving at low speed. The causing driver was later caught, with troopers saying he was impaired. The accident caused traffic in the area as vehicles were diverted. The scene was eventually cleared before 7:30 a.m.

About Vehicle Accidents

Vehicle accidents are common and may happen more frequently than you think. In 2017, the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT)  have reported a total of 120, 993 car accidents. Of those accidents, 525 were fatal ad 34, 311 were possible or suspected of injuries. This particular accident is a case of rear-end collision, also said to be the most common type of car accident. Like many other vehicle accidents, rear-end collisions often happen because of lapse of attention, usually when one vehicle follows another too closely. Injuries associated with rear-end collisions are whiplash, because the impact usually jerks the upper body forward. Other injuries include broken bones, head and spinal injuries, as well as wrist fractures.

Multiple vehicle collisions, also called pileups, are among the most dangerous types of crash situations. In this particular accident, four vehicles are reported to be involved, but pileups have been known to involve up to hundreds of vehicles at once and cause many types of injuries as well as fatalities. The most common cause for pileups seem to be bad weather which either obscure the vision of drivers or cause slippery roads, such as fog, heavy rain and snowstorms. As always, we urge all drivers to be wary while behind the wheel, especially in heavy traffic or unfavorable weather conditions. A single moment of carelessness can lead to an accident with dreadful consequences.

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