(Texted photo)
8:57 AM: Thanks for the texted tip/photo. Seattle Fire has just extricated two people at a vehicle-on-side crash scene at 36th/Dakota [map].
(Texted photo)
Updates to come.
(WSB photo)
9:18 AM: At the scene, our crew was told the driver of the crashed car, a Prius, swerved to avoid another vehicle coming downhill, No serious injuries. (In our photo above, note that firefighters had to cut off the car’s top to get the occupants out.)
I’m amazed at how fast some people drive coming down the hill on Dakota. The roundabout doesn’t seem to slow them down. This poor woman was headed uphill and was sitting up when they put her in the ambulance. Glad no one was hurt.
Was there. The poor woman was a passenger and the driver was a Lyft driver. Speed was an issue as was right-of-way yielding around cars not shown in the pics. The passenger made it out fine and walked home. The driver was banged up pretty good and was taken away via AMR ambulance. Scary stuff but no serious injuries and no air bags deployed. Props to the police and fire departments for their quick arrival and rescue!
Speeding notwithstanding, I’m wondering who has the right-of-way in a situation like this – the uphill driver or the downhill driver? (again, common courtesy notwithstanding, either)
Uphill has the right of way. Legacy of when it was difficult to restart a car on a steep grade.
Thank you. Not that expect anyone coming downhill to observe same, unfortunately.
I don’t know, I have heard the downhill driver does because it is easier to back down a hill, than it is up (especially with a manual transmission).
Maybe I should not be surprised, but as far as I can tell Washington law does not specify which vehicle has priority on a hill. I learned to drive in California and the vehicle code there gives right of way to the vehicle going uphill.
Who has the right of way, were they both going straight thru the intersection/island opposite of each other or was one on Dakota and the other on 36th and if so isn’t it a “yield to the right of way if they were on separate streets?
The motorist coming from the right has the right of way at uncontrolled intersections.
This is only true if both vehicles arrive at the same time. Otherwise, the vehicle that arrives first has the right of way.
If two vehicles enter an intersection at the same time, the vehicle on the left must yield right-of-way to the vehicle on the right. (If at different times, the vehicle who entered first has right-of-way).d
Or, as in the case of the roundabout at SW 108th & 8th Ave SW, where you always yield to the car on your left. Just the opposite of the yield to the right at an unmarked intersection rule.
Just want to say thank you to first responders who rush in to emergency situations every day to rescue people. Thank you.
Simple facts are that people do not learn how to drive around roundabouts including lack of knowledge in how yield and indicate. The WA drivers guides act as if roundabouts are not a thing. Also people need to stop parking ridiculously close to corners at junctions especially at those with a roundabout. Lastly a roundabout is not a speed control mechanism nor should it ever be considered one.
The structure in question is not a roundabout although it sort of functions like one. It is a traffic-calming island to prevent drivers from shooting through the intersection without slowing down. 10-20 years ago the city would install these if enough nearby residents requested it, plus if there was a documented history of crashes via police reports. Getting one took a big effort, which is why they are installed so randomly. Some groups of neighbors persevered, others gave up.
Elsewhere, vehicles in the traffic circle have the right of way.
Sorry, comment time is over.
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