UPDATE: Driver arrested after flipped-car crash on Delridge Way

| Delridge | West Seattle news | WS breaking news

11:06 PM: SPD and an SFD “rescue extrication” response are arriving at a crash that is described as blocking Delridge both ways in the 4700 block [map]. Updates to come.

11:09 PM: One person is reported to be out of the vehicle. No major injuries, firefighters told dispatch.

11:24 PM: We don’t have visuals so far but police have described the crash as “single vehicle rollover.”

11:36 PM: Thanks to the texter who just sent the photo added above.

11:54 PM: And thanks to Barb D, who sent this security camera video of the crash – the driver hit a parked car, and then their car rolled:

12:46 PM: Thanks also to the texter who sent these photos:

We’ll be following up with both SPD and SFD.

ADDED 10:30 AM: SFD tells us the driver, a 33-year-old woman, was taken to the hospital in stable condition.

11:58 AM: SPD says she was arrested for investigation of DUI.

mjm March 16, 2023 (2:02 am)

The Vortex is not visible to the human eye, even on camera.

Marcus March 16, 2023 (6:08 am)

Can’t imagine with even non-life threatening injuries a they would not have lasting effects. The speed and the shear momentum to flip a car is just mind boggling. Are these guys trying to flip cars? Is it a new form of status to flip a car?

Neighbor March 16, 2023 (9:11 am)

The mind boggling part is how low the speed necessary to flip a car is. Everyone needs to be careful out there, even at low speeds.
- Pigeon Point Resident March 16, 2023 (10:56 am)
  
  This is what happens when you have tire-to-tire contact. Tires are *very* grippy so when they touch another vehicle’s they will “climb” up the other tire. You can flip your car at <5MPH with this method, although I would not recommend it.
- 1994 March 16, 2023 (10:22 pm)
  
  Looking at the video there does not appear to be high speed involved. Looked like the car was travelling at the speed limit more or less.
Derek March 16, 2023 (11:17 am)

I flipped a car going less than 10 mph. Granted it was Donner’s Pass in Wyoming. But it is doable.
- Question Authority March 16, 2023 (7:42 pm)
  
  That explains everything.

Hammer in Hand March 16, 2023 (6:19 am)

Flip counter has been reset

waikikigirl March 16, 2023 (7:10 am)

WOW that was a very good video from Barb D., it showed exactly how in this instance how the car did the infamous “flip” and notice how it looks like the cars hazard lights come on right away…why, how???

Neighbor March 16, 2023 (9:13 am)

Not sure but the airbags also deploy automatically, so the car probably has a good idea something bad happened and can turn on hazards and turn the engine off. The old GM OnStar commercials made a point about the system automatically making a call in a crash. Pretty sure Apple Watches do the same thing.
Boinsted March 16, 2023 (9:21 am)

Cars these days automatically engage hazard lights when an airbag is deployed.
Zoomy March 16, 2023 (9:37 am)

Flashers automatically come on in newer cars when the airbags deploy
- waikikigirl March 16, 2023 (11:18 am)
  
  Well who knew…especially me! I have a newer car BUT have never been in a crash thank goodness. Knock on wood!!! repeating 3 times :>)

PatWS March 16, 2023 (8:37 am)

What’s up with the drivers who passed the just-flipped car and didn’t stop to help??

Question Authority March 16, 2023 (9:23 am)

Well being those cars were probably doing 35 mph and you can’t stop on a dime doesn’t mean they didn’t fully stop and return after the video ends.
- Neighbor March 16, 2023 (11:08 am)
  
  The flipped car stopped on a dime. Perhaps the passing drivers should have crashed their cars in solidarity?
KM March 16, 2023 (9:34 am)

I’m not sure the first driver would have seen it as they passed, and the second driver pulled over further ahead.
momosmom March 16, 2023 (9:43 am)

You never know what one would do in a situation like this, but it does looks like the 2nd car pulled over cuz you can see their brake lights come on.

Joan LaBriola March 16, 2023 (9:14 am)

Thanks WSB for the coverage — and question for Barb, what security camera do you have? That footage is amazing

Ben There March 16, 2023 (9:30 am)

Obviously the driver was going to fast and is solely to blame, but the Delridge new street design with the fat meridian leaves little wiggle room in either lane. Would love to see if there can be data collected over the years to see how many more accidents there are going to be with the decision to eliminate the middle lane.

foop March 16, 2023 (10:11 am)

Delridge is still overly wide considering people live / walk / bike / go to school there. If you think it’s not, you’re driving too fast.
DC March 16, 2023 (10:18 am)

I’d bet there will be many fewer and those that do happen result in less serious injuries. I remember regularly being passed in the middle lane by cars going 50+ MPH often barely missing people/bikes/cars.
AdmiralSDV March 16, 2023 (10:44 am)

That’s not obvious at all, especially in relation to the other vehicles traveling down the street in the video. It looks more like distracted driving.
Jeepney March 16, 2023 (11:20 am)

Good point Ben There. I also feel that narrowing Delridge (and Avalon) have produced the opposite desired effect. I would love to see data of crashes pre narrowing and post narrowing.
- WestSeattleBadTakes March 16, 2023 (12:56 pm)
  
  This just shows that you don’t actually understand the desired effect.
  
  Since we decided to put our density on these roads, they now need to become streets. Meaning they prioritize pedestrians, transit, etc over motor vehicles. This is necessary since people live on these streets.
  
  Lane reductions, speed limit reductions, and traffic calming design (such as the median and trees) will slow vehicles down and/or deter them from using these streets so that the hundreds of people living on them can enjoy the safety (albeit still less) we provide to other streets with speed bumps, etc.
  
  Over time, especially as the trees in the median grow on Delridge, driver behavior will adjust. That said, I think we can and should go further will Delridge as it develops.
  
  Now, we will still have the outliers such as impaired and distracted drivers, which has been confirmed to be the case in this instance. I don’t know about you, but I don’t think we should optimize our streets for drunks and distracted drivers.
  
  Of course, in Ben’s world (and presumably yours), an increase in crashes means we must revert to the previous driver friendly design, but that assumes our outcomes are solely focused on motor vehicle crashes. In reality, the outcome we want is to make Delridge a safe street for people. Widening the lanes and removing the median is antithetical to that goal.
  
  An increase in crashes would suggest the need for more traffic calming and/or *gasp* that enforcement everyone here seems to love.
WestSeattleBadTakes March 16, 2023 (11:41 am)

You don’t need wiggle room if you’re driving the speed limit, but these lanes easily permit 40-50 mph which is a common sight on Delridge despite the new design.

This is clearly distracted or impaired driving.
- WSB March 16, 2023 (11:59 am)
  
  Just confirmed with SPD, the driver was arrested for investigation of DUI (added above).
Frog March 16, 2023 (1:56 pm)

I don’t drive Delridge much, but in the video, it doesn’t look so narrow. This case looks like a drunk who fell asleep, and it’s actually a good thing that a median would have prevented him from going into oncoming traffic. Medians prevent left turns, which mainly causes inconvenience to people who live on those blocks. Medians greatly reduce the risk of crashes with oncoming traffic, and eliminate the need to watch for left turns across your path in between intersections, while increasing U-turns at adjacent intersections. Crash risk is concentrated at the intersections. Hard to tell if the net change in crash risk is positive or negative, but for through drivers, the median is probably a benefit.

DC March 16, 2023 (10:14 am)

I am learning it is much easier to flip a car than I expected. Did seem like the car was even going that fast. Good to know for the next time I consider ramming into a parked car!

Question Authority March 16, 2023 (12:49 pm)

They basically performed a PIT Maneuver on themselves which was well deserved given their DUI status. Better that than hitting an innocent driver at the next intersection.

wetone March 16, 2023 (10:34 am)

As a WS resident for well over 50yrs being a driver, bike rider and walker, I have not seen roll over type incidents as we have today in this area till the last few years. So either it’s related to poor roadway design from SDOT or quality of drivers. Cars are better and safer than past, so I would rule that out. To me roadways are getting narrower in design, more signage, barriers/bollards, roadways and bike lanes have little design consistency throughout city. SDOT has been incorporating raised curbs for planters/dividers throughout area. Impacting and distracting all even more. Then you have the drivers in these rollovers. Curious if city is tracking/ gathering data from these rollovers as it seems to be a weekly occurrence these days. Shouldn’t be to hard to figure what’s the common cause. You cannot just keep lowering speed limits, road diets and more distractions with signage that impact all for the few that are causing the problems. Get back to police patrols ticketing bad/non-legal drivers. Let’s get back to holding all accountable………

WestSeattleBadTakes March 17, 2023 (9:58 am)

You cannot just keep lowering speed limits, road diets and more distractions with signage that impact all for the few that are causing the problems.

And here we have someone else who doesn’t understand why these changes are being made.

Times are changing, get with it.

The sad thing is you’re right in some places, but your prescriptions aren’t correct. It just takes a little study and education.
- wetone March 18, 2023 (8:44 am)
  
  You sound just like SDOT talking…..Reality is there will always be a need in different modes of transportation. Whether for service industries, commuting, shopping or just getting out. Sounds like you got everything figured out, should apply for a job at city as you’d fit right in ;)
  - WestSeattleBadTakes March 20, 2023 (8:17 am)
    
    Thanks for the laughs!

Just here for the commentss March 16, 2023 (10:42 am)

I remember my dad telling me years ago that if you drive too fast in a tall vehicle like a truck or a van, it will tip over. Now it seems like every car that is on the road will tip with the slightest breeze.

Wendell March 16, 2023 (12:20 pm)

I’m sure you mean slightest impairment.
Law March 16, 2023 (12:31 pm)

No. You are just now learning about physics that’s all.