Updated on: 2/17/2021
State troopers responded to more than 800 snow-related collisions during the western Washington snowstorm this past week.
The comprehensive count does not include spinouts, but totals at least 861 crashes split between 14 counties.
King county tallied 102 collisions along with 141 non-accident weather-related service calls over the weekend with Snohomish accounting for 196 and Pierce and Thurston counties combining for 277.
While across the majority of the west side of the state snows have calmed in recent days the cascades do expect continued heavy snowfall through the week, going into the weekend.
Options for Accident Victims After Winter Crashes
While reporting of this data did not include details such as the number and severity of injuries but according to WSP's collision analysis tool, preliminary data shows less than 20 injury collisions across the state in that time frame.
Thankfully more people were not hurt in these collisions, but more winter weather could be on the way for parts of our state and drivers should make sure they're prepared to handle the snow safely if they need to hit the road in poor conditions.
Drivers are still responsible for accidents caused while driving on snow or ice as a driver's standard of due care remains unchanged no matter the road conditions.
Some drivers or insurance companies may even assert that they have an act of god defense for weather conditions like those from this past weekend, but act of god claims would have to involve no negligence on the part of the drivers.
If a roadway is particularly poorly designed or maintained a driver may have a claim against the city, county, or state responsible for its design, care, or upkeep but these claims require a clear cause that was previously known and either not addressed or not properly addressed which directly caused the relevant accident.
Understanding what to do after an accident can be a stressful and confusing time for anyone whether the crash was as simple as a fender bender or caused life-threatening injuries, which is why Davis Law Group offers free case evaluations for accident victims and their loved ones.
If you or a loved one have been injured in a car accident and have questions about your claim or the recovery process, call 206-727-4000 or use the chat or contact options on this page to request a free case evaluation from our experienced and compassionate team of car accident attorneys.
