Given the volume of traffic that courses along Seattle’s roads and highways every day, the laws of chance make it possible for an accident to occur anywhere at anytime. According to a spokesman for the Washington State Patrol, the timing and location of any car accident simply turns on a roll of the dice. Even though a string of accidents in one location may arouse superstitions, the State Patrol says that it is really not uncommon for a small section of roadway to be the site of multiple accidents on any given day.
Thursday, November 29, looked like an unlucky day for a section of I-5 around the interchange at 220th Street Southwest, where three separate accidents took place within a timeframe of 17 hours. Fortunately, two of the accidents appear to have resulted in no serious injuries. The worst of the three accidents, though, saw at least one person sent to the hospital in unknown condition.
One of the car accidents in the vicinity of the overpass involved a State Trooper crashing into a guardrail while in pursuit of a traffic violation. The officer escaped injury, but the State Patrol reports that his car was totaled.
The second accident involved a rear-end collision at the stop signal on the southbound off-ramp to 220th Street. No further details of that incident were reported.
The third, and most serious accident, took place when a Toyota Camry bumped into a Chevrolet Suburban headed northbound on I-5. The impact pushed both vehicles up an embankment along the right lane of the interstate before both rolled back down and stopped partially in the traffic lane. Nobody in the Suburban suffered any accident-related injuries, but the driver of the Camry required hospital treatment.
The cause of these accidents remains unclear and likely to lead to insurance disputes and possible litigation over auto repairs and doctors’ bills. Those involved may need the services of an experienced accident attorney to protect their rights to fair compensation.
Source: MLT News, “I-5 at 220th a magnet for traffic accidents Thursday,” Doug Petrowski, Dec. 1, 2012