Seattle speed limit changes for safer streets
The recent changes to the Seattle speed limit have been a long time coming, but are just an incremental step in a larger plan for safer streets. The process of setting speed limits for streets and highways is surprisingly complex. Maximum speeds are set by each state legislature, which must balance the interests of stakeholders...
Seattle speed limit changes for safer streets Continue reading…Investigating a fatal truck crash at Snoqualmie Pass
In dark hours of an early winter morning, truckers are eager to miss rush hour traffic as they are headed out on their routes. Dispatchers advised that a winter weather advisory was expected. The temperature hovered right around freezing on the east side of the Snoqualmie Pass. It was just before 5 a.m. when a...
Investigating a fatal truck crash at Snoqualmie Pass Continue reading…New “cover your load” law coming to Washington State in 2020?
On February 22, 2004, Maria Federici was blinded and nearly killed by a piece of particle board that flew out of a rented trailer, struck her windshield and hit her in the face. The driver of the vehicle pulling the trailer had been moving all day, and failed to properly secure the particle board in...
New “cover your load” law coming to Washington State in 2020? Continue reading…Court holds trucking companies 100% responsible for Skagit Bridge collapse
Last week, the Washington Supreme Court issued a ruling in the ongoing litigation between the State and trucking companies regarding the collapse of the I-5 Skagit River Bridge in 2013. Washington Supreme Court tells trucking companies, not WSDOT, to pay for I-5 Skagit bridge collapse While Judge Steven Gonzalez’ reasoning was not completely sound and...
Court holds trucking companies 100% responsible for Skagit Bridge collapse Continue reading…Refresher course in winter crash prevention for Washington drivers
Snow is falling in the Washington mountain passes. The seasonal changes in the Pacific Northwest always seem to result in a terrible series of crashes as drivers re-learn winter weather driving. While you should always be careful behind the wheel of a car, additional measures are necessary for winter crash prevention. Winter crash prevention Check...
Refresher course in winter crash prevention for Washington drivers Continue reading…Washington state has biggest surge in truck crash fatalities
The trucking safety group Road Safe America analyzed federal crash data from 2009-2017. They found that nearly all U.S. states had increases in semi-truck crash deaths from 2009 to 2017. But Washington State has experienced the biggest percentage increase in truck crash fatalities. The five states with the largest percentage increases in truck crash deaths...
Washington state has biggest surge in truck crash fatalities Continue reading…Here’s what happened in the powdered milk truck crash on I-5
Overview of I5 Crashes Interstate 5 (I-5) runs through the heart of Washington State and is one of the region's busiest and most critical highways. This section provides a statistical overview of crash incidents, highlighting the road's reputation for heavy traffic and high accident rates. Statistics of I-5 Crashes Recent statistics underscore the hazardous nature...
Here’s what happened in the powdered milk truck crash on I-5 Continue reading…5 quick tips for preventing a winter weather crash
Snow, freezing rain, and high winds are in the forecast for western Washington State this week. While that shouldn't come as a surprise - it's standard winter weather for most of the Pacific Northwest - there are always too many drivers who are caught off guard. The result is often a slew of predictable, often...
5 quick tips for preventing a winter weather crash Continue reading…Off-tracking truck: how rear tires can crush pedestrians
What is off-tracking? Off-tracking truck: Rear wheels take a different, shorter path than the front wheels when the semi-truck is turning or cornering. We might think of it as "cutting the corner" of a turn. I have seen this before, with a client who was run over by the back wheels of a semi-truck turning...
Off-tracking truck: how rear tires can crush pedestrians Continue reading…Yes, semi truck crashes are way up in Washington this year … and it’s gotten worse
Update: As of October 16, there has been 798 semi truck crashes* in Washington State. At the same time last year, there had been 661. Just in the last few weeks, there have been several major collisions that caused severe injuries—and kept thousands stuck in traffic for hours. June 9: Three semi trucks collided in...
Yes, semi truck crashes are way up in Washington this year … and it’s gotten worse Continue reading…Yes, semi truck crashes are way up in Washington this year … but why?
This past week, a semi-truck flipped over on I-405 in Bellevue around 5 a.m. Amazingly, no one was seriously injured … but traffic was backed up for hours, at one point stretching 7 miles down the highway. The Washington State Patrol (WSP) later cited the trucker for driving too fast for rainy conditions. At 4...
Yes, semi truck crashes are way up in Washington this year … but why? Continue reading…A study on distracted driving enforcement in Washington
The University of Washington Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center conducted a study on distracted driving enforcement. Using focus groups of police officers from King County, Whatcom County, and Spokane County, researchers identified some common problems, including: distracted driving laws are difficult to enforce. The study participants proposed a solution. Laws should prohibit all forms...
A study on distracted driving enforcement in Washington Continue reading…