UPDATE: Another incident reported near ‘the curve’ toward southwest end of westbound West Seattle Bridge

9:38 PM: SPD is arriving at the scene of another incident repoorted near “the curve” by the Walking On Logs/Welcome to West Seattle pullout, on this rainy night. We haven’t seen a visual but emergency radio describes a 1996 Ford Crown Victoria “in the grass” off the road. Apparently no injuries, as SFD has been canceled. No pole or other damage this time, police told dispatch.

10:23 PM: Officers just told dispatch they’ll be blocking both westbound lanes for a bit while the tow truck driver does their work.

10:50 PM: Both westbound lanes have reopened.

Skeptic January 11, 2026 (9:58 pm)

Ohh interesting, does that make the first non pickup/SUV? Still RWD though, for all the arm chair physicists.

bolo January 11, 2026 (11:38 pm)

Sure seems like the first “car” (non pickup truck/ SUV/ Jeep/ van) in quite a while.
ShermanO January 12, 2026 (10:29 am)

Not just RWD but a solid rear axle, two features that are a small fraction of overall traffic but shared with virtually every vehicle that leaves the roadway at this spot.
bill January 12, 2026 (11:56 am)

@Skeptic: What is your snark supposed to mean? I am an engineer, which makes me adjacent to an actual physicist, and qualified to opine on the physics despite sitting in an armchair as I type. The simple facts are water on pavement decreases available traction by half, and an old sedan like a Crown Vic is similar to a pickup, RWD with a light rear end. Unlikely to have traction control. Conjecturing now, but someone driving an old car like that is unlikely to have splashed out recently for new tires or good tires or defensive driving lessons. In the hands of today’s typical driver crashing a car like that is almost certain.

Derp January 11, 2026 (10:39 pm)

If there was a real problem with this area, wouldn’t there be wrecks all day long. People need to slow down. Asking for a friend

K January 12, 2026 (7:41 am)

If there was a real problem with speeding, wouldn’t there be wrecks happening at the same rate on every curve all over the city? The city needs to address the surface in that spot. Asking for a friend.
- Julian January 12, 2026 (3:53 pm)
  
  No K, because people don’t speed through all curves at the same rate. People are less inclined to speed in settings where there are pedestrians or parallel parked cars on either side, or they’re on narrow streets or there is a lower speed limit. The curve on the bridge is in a location that has no pedestrians and is right after a long, wide straight off the freeway that enables people to think they are fine speeding through without a care (even with a warning sign saying to go 30). Blaming the curve design is as ridiculous as blaming that Southbound I-5 exit into Union Street downtown that people are always crashing at. There are tons of signs saying to slow down and the people who shouldn’t have a license speed through anyway and wreck. It’s not a design problem, it’s an incompetent driver problem.
  - Tom Walters January 12, 2026 (7:21 pm)
    
    Big American gas guzzling land yachts..The usual suspects.
Julian January 12, 2026 (8:40 am)

Correct. These accidents are also almost exclusively in wet conditions too because people don’t adjust their speed accordingly. Meanwhile people like me and thousands of others get through with no problem for many years, two wheels or more because we’re competent riders/drivers. 🙂

Andrew January 12, 2026 (4:29 am)

Another rear wheel drive vehicle

Jake January 12, 2026 (9:19 am)

At least three front wheel drive vehicles there since late last year too though. Common denominator is bad driving.

K to the F January 12, 2026 (7:14 am)

Reset the counter! https://curvycrashes.com/

Little One January 12, 2026 (3:31 pm)

Nice!Any chance we also get a stats counter of vehicle types?

cause and effect January 12, 2026 (8:19 am)

I’ve been watching my speed very closely when approaching the curve, and even when I’m driving just above the posted limit if there are any cars behind me they will typically speed up to pass me, making a clearly problematic stretch of road even more dangerous.

k January 12, 2026 (12:38 pm)

Yeah, there’s a small spot of sketchy pavement at 12th and Trenton, but you only encounter it going around the traffic calming circle, which is 5 mph, max. And I skid a little every time when it’s wet, with newer tires, doing less than 5 mph. I don’t go far, it’s a small spot, and I’m going slowly. But those saying people need to slow down, even if it’s less than the speed limit (for conditions!) never say JUST how slow they’re willing to put up with RWD and top-heavy vehicles crawling through that curve in order to let SDOT off the hook about paving. Every time I read those posts, I’m just picturing the same angry posters swearing as they sit in traffic behind someone taking the curve at < 10 mph.

Watertowerjim January 12, 2026 (8:51 am)

“Just slow down” works about as well as “Just say No” (for those old enough to remember.)

Fix it.

Les January 12, 2026 (12:44 pm)

Are the accidents on that curve happening with vehicles driving in both lanes or just the inside lane ?

KM January 12, 2026 (1:56 pm)

A simple solution would be to move the dumped pedicure spa massage chairs there and force everyone to slow down.

Another One January 12, 2026 (3:09 pm)

I laughed.

Pete January 12, 2026 (6:13 pm)

Darwin’s curve strikes again

Jack January 12, 2026 (8:49 pm)

Isn’t it odd that years ago when almost every vehicle was a solid axel w/rear wheel drive, we didn’t have near as many accidents. So, is it excessive speed with independent suspension? Or people just not traveling at the posted speed limit. Slow down folks, stay safe, what’s the big rush. Trying to save 4 or 5 minutes? You could injure an innocent person.

Sorry, comment time is over.