Davis Law Group, P.S.

Man dies in head-on collision near Ephrata

Story Highlights:
Fatal Car Accident, One person killed in Ephrata car accident
Motor vehicle collision cause unknown



Date: November 26, 2010, 11/26/2010
Location: Ephrata, Grant County, Washington
Type: Fatal car crash, two-car collision
Outcome: One dead

A man was involved in a fatal car accident after he struck a van head-on while driving on State Route 282 near Ephrata on Friday night. The driver was taken to Central Washington Hospital but died from his injuries a few hours later. The van was carrying five people, including three children under the age of 12, but only the driver was injured. All of the people in the van were taken to Columbia Basin Hospital to get checked out. Washington State Patrol reported that the man who died was not properly restrained at the time of the accident but all of the people in van were wearing their seatbelts. No charges are anticipated and there is no additional information available as to why the man crossed the center line.

Eastern Washington Fatal Accident Statistics
The majority of traffic fatalities occur on rural roads. From 1997 to 2006, 3,854 people were killed in collisions on rural roads, representing 60.6% of all fatalities. However, approximately 30% of the vehicle-miles-traveled occur on rural roads, indicating the fatality rate on rural roads is much higher than on urban roads. The average rural road fatality rate per 100 million vehicle-miles-traveled from 1999 to 2006 (1997-1998 data is not available) was 2.27, compared to the urban road rate of 0.65.

Washington State Traffic Law
A person is not in violation of Washington State traffic laws or prohibited from driving to the left of the center line of a roadway by this section under the following circumstances:

• When authorized by a traffic control device designating certain lanes to the left side of the center of the roadway for use by traffic.
  
• When an obstruction or condition exists making it necessary to drive to the left of the center of the roadway, provided that a driver doing so shall yield the right of way to all vehicles traveling in the proper direction upon the unobstructed portion of the roadway within a distance as to constitute an immediate hazard.

Seattle Wrongful Death Attorneys
Everyone at the Davis Law Group sends out their heartfelt condolences to the family of the man who was lost in this tragic accident. In this kind of situation it is advisable for the victims as well as the family members of the deceased to find good personal injury and wrongful death lawyers that will make sure both parties get the compensation they deserve for the loss and suffering this terrible accident caused.

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