Two Accidents Result from Very Different Causes

Serious motor vehicle accidents happen nearly every day on Washington roads. The reasons range from unusual accidents related to weather conditions to accidents caused by the negligence and improper actions of humans.

A look at two recent accidents reveals some of the uncertainties of the roads.

Bad Weather Results in Two Traffic Deaths

The Miami Herald reported on how windy conditions caused a tree to fall on a sedan, killing the two people in the car. Officials on the scene described it as a freak accident and tragic timing. The pair, driving on a winding road near Issaquah, received fatal injuries from the weight of the tree.

The heavy winds came from a weather event known as a bomb cyclone storm that carried some of the heaviest winds of the season. Weather experts consider this type of storm as the South Pacific’s version of a hurricane. The King’s County Sheriff’s Office began investigating the incident right after it occurred.

Wrong-Way Driver Causes a Crash and One Death

The Seattle Times reported on a crash that involved a wrong-way driver, three semi-trucks and one other vehicle. The crash occurred at two in the morning on Highway 18. The driver of the wrong-way vehicle, a 28-year-old man, died.

Authorities say the car headed west in the eastbound lane, striking two semis headed east. The collision forced one of the semis into the center barrier and then crossed into the westbound traffic. A third semi and another car also hit the center barrier.

One other driver received care at the hospital. The accident closed down both lanes of Highway 18 for several hours.