UPDATE: Flipped-car crash on Harbor Avenue, driver to hospital

1:55 PM: Thanks for the tip. SFD and SPD are in the 2400 block of Harbor Avenue SW, near the 7-11, for what was dispatched as a “rescue extrication” call. SPD says the street is closed in both directions. We’re on our way to find out more.

2:01 PM: SFD has already closed the call. They’re working to clear the road and letting the Water Taxi shuttle through, but not other traffic.

2:14 PM: Flipped-car crash, as our photo (and the one Angela has posted in a comment below) shows. We’re told at the scene that the driver hit a parked car and flipped.

2:21 PM: Harbor is open again, police just told dispatch.

4:55 PM: SFD tells WSB that the driver, a 53-year-old woman, was in stable condition when taken to Harborview by AMR ambulance.

HAngela May 1, 2023 (2:09 pm)

I believe the driver will be okay, they were asking her what tow company she wanted to come out.

WSB May 1, 2023 (2:12 pm)

Thanks. Our crew just got there and they were told somebody was taken to the hospital.

LivesInWS May 1, 2023 (2:43 pm)

The mysterious West Seattle gravity flipping force strikes again!

Andrew May 1, 2023 (5:46 pm)

So true! Glad she is OK ✅

WSEA Cryptozoologist May 1, 2023 (2:49 pm)

Hmmmmm, Bigflip usually doesn’t venture out of the ravines during the day to wreak his unique brand of vehicular havoc. I’m surprised nobody caught him on dashcam this time…

Buncake May 1, 2023 (3:34 pm)

New cars flip easier than old models they have lighter weight overall construction.

Patrick May 1, 2023 (6:17 pm)

That is false. Modern cars are much heavier for a variety of reasons noted here: https://www.thedrive.com/news/39830/new-cars-are-heavier-than-ever-but-also-more-powerfulThey are also much, much, much more powerful (per above) and easier to drive, so it’s also easier to go faster.That Elantra above has about the same acceleration and top speed as a T-Top 80’s Camaro Z28 IROC idolized by the Motley Crue gen, if not faster than the Camaro.
22blades May 2, 2023 (5:53 am)

What?New drivers flip easier than old drivers because they have lighter brain mass overall construction. (“Old; 35+)

Jay May 1, 2023 (3:36 pm)

How can someone be carrying enough speed on Harbor Ave to flip a car?

Flivver May 1, 2023 (4:25 pm)

Jay. Depending on where and how they hit not that much speed is necessary to flip a car. Real life is rarely like the movies or tv where a car is going really fast and recklessly and flips over after hitting something.
MoreSpeedbumps May 2, 2023 (8:12 am)

People routinely drive down that stretch of Harbor Ave at over 50-60mph. Though as Flivver points out, that may not have been the case in this instance.

HarbourIslandworker May 1, 2023 (4:02 pm)

Well, it’s a Hyundai… any word if it was stolen

WSB May 1, 2023 (7:39 pm)

No, the owner was driving, we’re told.

DRW May 1, 2023 (4:24 pm)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljlZqd5qot4

Student of car flips May 1, 2023 (5:19 pm)

DRW, Thank you for presenting that video. I have to admit, I was also rather confused how a car could flip going under 30 mph. But more ridiculous is how most of the cars just drove on by…oh boy.

onion May 1, 2023 (6:12 pm)

Agreed. Even if a car flip was common, it could involve a person with potentially fatal injuries. And people just roll by?

Peter B May 1, 2023 (5:34 pm)

I just did a bit of reading up. Apparently, tire on tire contact can flip a car at low speeds, so there is a chance she wasn’t absolutely blasting it over the 25 limit. Pretty inexcusable to hit a parked car unless she had a medical emergency though.

Matthew May 2, 2023 (2:16 am)

When the rubber on the round edge of a tire contacts the same part of another tire it grips and basically climbs up that tire. If both vehicles are moving forwards , the forward motion of the tire being “mounted” thrusts the other tire upwards and then forwards. Imagine that happening at high speed. If it was contact with a stationary vehicle the tire could continue to climb the body of the vehicle after moving past the tire and flip.
anonymous May 2, 2023 (8:11 pm)

pretty sure this was a medical emergency. glad she’s okay and hopefully there was minimal damage to the car that was hit. hard to tell from the photos.

Claudia Williams May 2, 2023 (5:47 am)

Thank you for the video link DRW! Never realized how little speed it takes to flip. I’m glad the driver will be okay. Although I must say I’m pretty sure that wouldn’t have happened with my 80’s Chevy Caprice! I miss those steel bumpers ☺️