Federal Way, Washington – Driver Dead After Crashing Into Tree along Interstate 5

Federal Way, Washington (January 13, 2020) – A woman died after  crashing into a tree along Interstate 5 on Monday night. according to a report from Kent Reporter, the King County medical Examiner’s Office has identified the victim to be Jessica T. Quinn-Whitney as of Wednesday. The cause of her death has been identified to be multiple blunt-force injuries. The Washington State Patrol has determined that she was wearing a seat belt at the time of the incident. No other vehicles were reported to be involved in the incident and no injuries have been reported.

According to information from the Washington State Patrol, Quinn-Whitney was heading north on Interstate 5 around 10:15 p.m. She lost control of her vehicle, causing the SUV to leave the roadway and go down an embankment, and struck a tree. The car then ended up in a ditch off the roadway. There wre no mentions of road closures related to the incident in the report.

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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