As anyone who lives in the Yakima Valley area knows, the roads can become treacherous quickly during the winter. Rain can turn to sleet and ice as daytime temperatures drop, causing the roads to become a virtual sheet of ice. Mountain passes can become nearly impossible to navigate as snow piles up and wind drifts add to the volume of snow on the roads. Trees can also pose a danger as high winds snap the trunks in half, causing them to land on the roads.
A man and woman from Bothell, Wash., were fatally injured last month on Highway 2, about 21 miles east of Leavenworth, when a tree fell onto their Chevrolet Suburban. Four other passengers in the vehicle, two men and two women, were hospitalized. The highway where the accident occurred had to be closed so crews could remove more than 175 fallen trees as a result of the winter weather.
Dozens of auto accidents followed in the area over the holiday weekend, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation, because of road conditions caused by winter weather. The Washington State Patrol said there were more than three dozen collisions on highways in the Yakima Valley area, including at least one other fatality.
Although the WSDOT has crews working around the clock during the winter months, motorists must also take all necessary precautions to stay safe. Always check road conditions and weather conditions before you set out during the winter, and above all else adjust your speed to the road conditions.
To check the current condition of mountain passes in Washington State, you may go to the WSDOT website.
If you are injured in a Yakima Valley area car accident, you could be entitled to compensation for your injuries. Talk to a Yakima Valley car accident attorney at Mariano Morales Law to help you through the legal process and make sure that the party responsible for your injuries is held accountable.
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