A tragic three-vehicle Seattle accident involving a forklift claimed a life on Tuesday, local news outlets reported. The horrific accident also involved an SUV and a landscape truck.
According to the reports, the 25-year-old victim was the passenger in the SUV.
Seattle Police Suspects Forklift Driver Was Under The Influence
The crash happened around 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday in Seattle’s Licton Springs neighborhood.
The forklift driver entered Aurora Avenue from the west side of the street and crashed into the SUV. The impact prompted the SUV to collide with a landscape truck coming from the opposite lane. Both the 25-year-old passenger and the 27-year-old driver were taken to Harborview Medical Center for treatment. The passenger later died as a result of her injuries.
The landscape truck driver was also rushed to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Officers said they suspected the man driving the forklift was under the influence.
DUI Accidents Still A Problem In The Country And In Washington State
In 2019, 33% of all fatal accidents registered in the state of Washington were caused by intoxicated drivers. By 2020, the share of fatal accidents caused by DUI drivers in the state had increased to 35%. Across the country, the number of fatalities involving alcohol-impaired drivers went from 10,196 in 2019 to 11,654 in 2020, a 14.3% increase.
Drivers between the ages of 21 and 24 as well as drivers between the ages of 25 and 34 were most likely to be drunk while behind the wheel. According to statistics, those two age groups had the highest percentages (26% each) of alcohol-impaired drivers involved in fatal crashes compared to all other age groups in 2020.
As we consider these numbers and the tragic Seattle forklift accident reported recently, we must urge drivers to keep in mind that following state traffic laws is the first step in preventing deadly collisions. Never drink and drive and stay safe.
For more on this DUI accident, follow this link.
