Spokane, Washington – Driver Dead After Crashing Into Tree at South Baltimore Road and South Freya Road

Spokane, Washington  (January 23, 2020) – A car crashed into a tree on the curve at South Baltimore Road and South Freya Road on early Thursday afternoon. According to The Spokesman-Review, the crash resulted in the driver’s death. According to the information from the Washington State Patrol, the driver was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. It appears no other vehicles were involved and no other injuries have been reported.

According to preliminary investigation, the vehicle was going south on South Baltimore Road when the driver failed to negotiate a curve. The car then crashed into the tree at a high rate of speed. The crash was first reported around 12:15 p.m., with personnel from the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office, Fire District 8, and AMR responding to the scene. Investigation on the crash is still ongoing, and it has not yet been determined if drugs or alcohol are a factor in the crash. The incident caused South Baltimore Road to be closed until 6 p.m.

About Vehicle Accidents

We offer our sympathies and compassion for the friends and loved ones of the victim. Unfortunately, this is not the only time a car crash has resulted in a fatality. 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 under excessive speed, 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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