Collision on I-5 stops traffic, causing major delays
Guest Writer, Chelsea Mancilla
At any time of the day, we may have to drive or be a passenger in a vehicle. It is important to practice awareness and patience.
On Dec. 12, while students of Saint Martin’s University were packing for the winter break a serious vehicle collision occurred on I-5 south. The accident closed I-5 south for approximately five hours. The Washington State Patrol (WSP) released the crash details that Thursday. Four people were injured and sent to Providence St. Peter Hospital in Olympia, Wash.
Authorities had to close lanes near Lacey due to the collision, which made southbound traffic extremely difficult after 2:40 p.m. Traffic had to be diverted to Martin Way, dramatically increasing traffic within Lacey.
The Olympian published an article the following day that explained how speeding caused the crash which involved three tractor trailers.
About 2:40 p.m. that Wednesday, a 58-year-old Puyallup man driving southbound in a tractor-trailer allegedly crashed into a 50-year-old Olympia man driving a truck. That collision set off a series of crashes that ultimately involved two more tractor-trailers.
As the winter season develops, drivers are encouraged to take necessary precautions to handle road conditions and to practice responsible driving. WSP Officer Trooper Jeff Sevigney spoke on the subject with KXLY.com, “It only takes a split second for you to lose control of your vehicle and unfortunately, especially when you have vehicles like the semis behind me, the consequences can be disastrous,” said Sevigney. Sevigney is not only professionally aware of the consequences of irresponsible driving, but was personally familiar with the consequences.
In January 2017, Sevigney was struck by a pickup truck while riding a motorcycle in Spokane. The driver of the truck had been making an improper lane change. The incident on Dec.12, affected many drivers that were on I-5 during the time of the accident, proving that the ripple effect of poor driving decisions can impact more than just yourself or one other motorist.
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