Federal Way, Washington – Police Vehicle Strikes Pole at Southwest 320th Street During Chase

Federal Way, Washington (February 8, 2020) – A police vehicle crashed into a power pole in the area of the 200 block of Southwest 320th Street on early Saturday morning. According to the report from the Federal Way Mirror, there were no injuries in the incident and two suspects were successfully arrested. However, the crash caused power to be cut to 724 residents and work crews were called on the site to repair the damage.

According to the article, police officers were following a stolen vehicle in the area of Southwest 320th Street around 2 a.m. When the suspect driver made an abrupt turn, one of the officers couldn’t negotiate the turn and ended up driving into a ditch and striking the power pole.

About Vehicle Accidents

While this incident involves a criminal accident, it should be noted that accidents of other causes can also result in injuries and fatalities. 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, trees, and utility poles. 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. As can be seen in this case, damage to fixed objects can also result in long road closures.

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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