UPDATE: Car-on-side crash in Fauntleroy

| Fauntleroy | West Seattle news

11:53 PM: SFD and SPD are headed to 47th/Wildwood, just southeast of the Fauntleroy ferry dock, for a report of a flipped-car crash. Everyone in the vehicle is reported to have already gotten out, so no “rescue” response is expected. At least one other vehicle is reported to have been involved.

12:07 AM: Actually a car-on-side crash, per the reader who sent that photo. The other car may have been parked, officer/dispatch communication indicates. No serious injuries reported so far.

12:16 AM: They’re arresting the driver, a woman in her 20s.

Derek June 20, 2024 (12:21 am)

Things like this constantly and people have the gall to gripe about pedestrian and cyclist protections from these destructive giant pieces of metal moving high speed.

Alki resident June 20, 2024 (4:40 am)

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Nothing here said speed was involved, this happens weekly in West Seattle and typically on side roads.
- WSB June 20, 2024 (10:49 am)
  
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  No, it doesn’t happen weekly, and not typically on side roads. I just went through our archives for this year – I specifically use the term either “car-on-side” or “flipped-car” for these crashes so I can find them in the archives – and we’ve had 11 so far this year, only three of those on what I’d call side streets – of the other eight, two were on 35th, one on Delridge, one on Admiral, one on Avalon, one on Harbor, one on Holden, one on Trenton, last night’s on Wildwood (which is the main route through the Fauntleroy mini-business district southeast of the ferry dock and Lincoln Park). – TR
Mike June 20, 2024 (5:26 am)

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“destructive giant pieces of metal moving high speed” you mean the things that transport people and goods to and from far distances? You must not leave Seattle much, considering you would only walk, run, bicycle or use another non motorized method of transport. I’m sure you only grow your food in your garden and make everything from raw material you’ve personally raised, harvested or gathered locally too. I’m amazed that someone in West Seattle even mined the raw materials and forged their own bicycle frame, locally, and not bought at a store who got it from the Giant Bicycle (Taiwanese company) factory in China or with components made in China. Amazing, absolutely amazing, bravo to you for your dedication!!!
- a June 20, 2024 (9:43 am)
  
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  Hi Mike,
  Interesting point, however the vehicles you’re talking about are driven by/for companies.
  The accident in question involved a 20 year old driver with 3 passengers in a personal vehicle that collided with a parked car. I’m not sure how many delivery/logistics drivers match that description, but I think we can all see the difference between these two types of drivers.
  ou also left out busses, in case you want to add to the bluster next time around ;P.
  Driving is a privilege, regardless of if it’s for personal or professional ends. In my opinion, those who don’t at least respect the additional dangers faced by those outside of a motorized vehicle with a roll cage, crumple zones, air bags, etc.
  You’re more than allowed to dislike and disagree with non car/truck/van forms of transportation, however having that permission doesn’t mean that you have a point or have even come close to following a logical path to your “contribution” to this thread.
  Hope you have a good day.
  - The King June 20, 2024 (5:58 pm)
    
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    “The right of a citizen to travel upon the public highways and to transport his property thereon, by horsedrawn carriage, wagon, or automobile, is not a mere privilege which may be permitted or prohibited at will, but a common right which he has under his right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Under this constitutional guaranty one may, therefore, under normal conditions, travel at his inclination along the public highways or in public places, and while conducting himself in an orderly and decent manner, neither interfering with nor disturbing another’s rights, he will be protected, not only in his person, but in his safe conduct.”
    
    Thompson v.Smith, 154 SE 579, 11 American Jurisprudence, Constitutional Law, section 329, page 1135 Looks like the Supreme Court disagrees with the opinion that driving is a privilege.
- OneTimeCharley June 20, 2024 (10:09 am)
  
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  Exactly Mike. The constant railing against private automobile ownership is absurd, but these sort of folks can only see the world through a single prism at a time. They mistakenly assume therefore that all of the rest of us (in this particular instance car owners) also can only see the world through a single prism at a time. This is why they feel so certain that ( in this instance car ownership) is some some of selfish act; in their world view everything is black-and-white, right versus wrong; good versus evil. It’s a child-like perception of the world that makes things wonderfully comfortable (psychologically speaking), although still wholly unrealistic, and therefore untenable. Look around. It’s rampant in our culture on any number of highly complex issues. Also notice that motivated influencers are using real money, real strategy, and very real technology to muddy the waters, confuse, and distract as many people as possible, on any number of issues/subjects, so their ulterior motives can be satiated. Many people are falling into this new normal way of ‘not’ thinking unwittingly, yet we all suffer the consequences of the wide-spread ridiculousness. Often times, making another suffer consequences is the whole point, whether deserved or not.
  - Bbron June 20, 2024 (9:36 pm)
    
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    boy diggity do I read a whole lotta projection! for someone so upset about others painting situations as black-or-white, you do pretty well generalizing your opposition.
- Also K June 20, 2024 (10:23 am)
  
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  What does any of that have to do with protecting pedestrians and cyclists?
K June 20, 2024 (8:07 am)

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Sure enough, our roads are getting more dangerous for all, but mostly peds and cyclists. We need to treat it like the crisis it is.
- Montana Griz June 20, 2024 (4:39 pm)
  
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  @WSB: You likely have these statistics. If you have them, would you please advise within the same period that you tracked cars on their sides or flipped, how many incidents occurred of cars colliding with bicycles, as well as how many have involved a pedestrian? I’m not concerned here if the cars ended up on their sides or roofs……just trying to get numbers on roads getting more dangerous for all, but mostly ped(estrians) and (bi)cyclists. Which numbers are higher? Thank you.
  - WSB June 20, 2024 (5:09 pm)
    
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    That’s a different level of research. Since car-side/flip crashes are almost always ‘rescue extrication’ large responses, we universally wind up writing about them. Far more other types of crashes than we can possibly track; SDOT might have those stats.
  - Josh June 20, 2024 (5:33 pm)
    
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    Nice try but you got your answer in your non answer: there are so many more car on bike and car on pedestrian collisions that WSB can not even track them. As opposed to the 11 cars not on four wheels they have noted this year.
    - Matt June 20, 2024 (7:47 pm)
      
      More like: the WSB is not your personal research assistant. Talk to SDOT or do some research of your own at the library.
Curious George June 20, 2024 (8:14 am)

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If there arresting the driver it’s more then likely for what caused her to speed & crash not the end result: DUI???
- WSB June 20, 2024 (10:49 am)
  
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  The call is classified as investigation of possible DUI.

Astrocat June 20, 2024 (7:19 am)

Absolutely agree, Derek. BTW is anyone keeping track of “car-on-side” accidents?!

WSB June 20, 2024 (10:50 am)

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As noted in another reply, our archives are fairly thorough – we’ve had 11 car-on-side or flipped-car crashes this year.

Midi June 20, 2024 (9:56 am)

What is frustrating is that this debate is always brought back to cars vs bicycles, instead of finding options to make things better/safer for cars AND bicycles (+ pedestrians). Safer bike paths are not going to stop late night car racing, so that should really be removed from the argument. I want to be able to drive (more than 25 mph) AND I want bicycles/walkers to have space and be safe. I think that’s a reasonable ask.

New Deal June 20, 2024 (12:11 pm)

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And that solution is lovely trail systems like the Burke Gilman. Not roadside bike lanes on main arterials like Delridge. I will never ride my bike again with traffic. I will put it atop my car and drive to a safe trail system. We will steal people’s property to put in light rail but insist on squeezing bikes and cars on the same pavement.
Jort June 20, 2024 (12:57 pm)

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I, also, would like a unicorn and a million dollars. The reason these fights happens is because the “space” for bicycles/walkers to be safe must come from space currently allocated to cars. And I have seen the citizens of this great city lose their ever-loving marbles over the reallocation of unused slip lanes and for simple 10 square foot curb bulbs. The fights happen because there have to be trade-offs. You can’t have it all.
Danimal June 20, 2024 (1:19 pm)

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Agreed! I’m all for this too, despite what the car-hating slow-lifestyle hand-wringers here think of us who drive cars.
- Bbron June 20, 2024 (2:06 pm)
  
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  gotta avoid the “slow-lifestyle” by bantering online over trying to reduce your commute to Target and back by 30 seconds. rather be “hand-wringing” than believing a car is a fantastical device that the faster I go in it, the better my life is. what’s the point of comfy seats, a/c, music if y’all can’t stand being in there for an extra minute or 2 a day?
- k June 20, 2024 (2:46 pm)
  
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  You can care about pedestrian safety and still like cars. Those are not mutually exclusive, and it’s terrifying that so many people immediately shout “you hate cars” as soon as someone’s advocating for better bike or pedestrian safety. Please learn now to love cars without wanting to run people over.
WSzombie June 20, 2024 (1:58 pm)

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I grew up in the countryside. As a kid, i would have to ride my bike to get to the closest neighbor’s house just to play video games. Every day I see people riding bikes in the streets I still shake my head in amazement. It’s downright scary to even consider riding in the city, for both transportation or recreation. I get it, it’s good for the environment, it’s low cost, and it’s good exercise. But cities are made for either motorized, or non-motorized transportation. It can’t be both, well, not 100% satisfactorily for both.

Faster Faster June 20, 2024 (10:00 am)

So many cars flipped & on their sides. Has no one thought of putting extra wheels on the sides of cars, that way when the car flips, it just keeps on speeding down the road … oops, I mean driving the legal speed limit.

Danimal June 20, 2024 (1:21 pm)

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Once again, speed isn’t really the issue with the cars that end up flipped. It’s ridiculously easy to flip a car. You can flip one with a high center of gravity, like an SUV, going 15 mph. If two tires rub together and one climbs the other, and there’s already turning or forward momentum, whoop! Over goes the car. It’s not as astoundingly wild to have happen as everyone thinks.