Woodinville, Washington – Driver Taken to Hospital Following Car Crash

Woodinville, Washington (December 6, 2019) – A car collided with a power pole at the 17500 block of 174th Avenue Northeast on early Friday morning. The crash caused the vehicle to catch on fire, but fortunately all occupants were able to exit the vehicle. The driver was reported to have been taken to a local hospital for treatment of undisclosed injuries, and it was reported that he is expected to survive. No other injuries were reported in the incident and no other vehicles appears to be involved.

The incident was first reported 12:30 a.m. By the time crews from Woodinville Fire and Rescue arrived, flames were already coming from the vehicle, but had to wait until the power lines were shut down before dealing with the fire. The driver is suspected to be impaired at the time of the accident, which might have been a factor in the crash.

About Vehicle Accidents

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 similar to this case, 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.

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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