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Everett-Bellingham WA - Accident News and Resources including car, bicycle, motorcycle and truck accidents and much more.

Whatcom, Island, San Juan, Skagit, and Snohomish Counties comprise the Pacific Northwest Interior

Across these diverse counties, residents and visitors encounter gorgeous mountain views, extensive waterways, the beautiful Puget Sound, and the vast network of San Juan Islands.

Whatcom County, Washington, on the border with Canada, is an established college town with a growing population

Whatcom County has a population of approximately 200,000. The county seat and largest city is Bellingham. The county name ultimately derives from the Lummi word Xwotʼqom, meaning "noisy water."

The largest industries in Whatcom County include manufacturing, agriculture, and healthcare. Whatcom County is the location of Western Washington University.

Island County - A unique and beautiful region composed entirely of islands

As of the 2010 census, its population was 78,506. Its county seat is Coupeville, while its largest city is Oak Harbor. Its name reflects the fact that it is composed entirely of islands. It contains two large islands, Whidbey and Camano, and seven smaller islands - Baby, Ben Ure, Deception, Kalamut, Minor, Smith, and Strawberry.

San Juan County - A beautiful maritime archipelago of 743 islands

San Juan County is a county located in the Salish Sea in the far northwestern corner of Washington State. As of the 2010 census, its population was 15,769. Of the hundreds of islands in the county,  only 60 islands are inhabited.

Skagit County - Situated between near the majestic Cascade Mountains, the fertile Skagit Valley, and the powerful Skagit River

Skagit County, with a population of 116,901, is situated in the gorgeous Skagit Valley. The county seat and largest city is Mount Vernon. The majestic Cascade Mountains stand to the east, overlooking a fertile valley boasting a variety of agricultural crops. Running through the valley is the powerful Skagit River flowing westward toward the beautiful San Juan Islands.

Snohomish County - Home of the world's largest aerospace-industry manufacturing facility

Snohomish County, with a population of 772,501, is the third-most populous county in Washington. The county seat and largest city is Everett. The county is located between the sparkling blue waters of Puget Sound and the rugged, snow-capped peaks of the Cascade Mountains. Snohomish County begins 12 miles north of Seattle, a little under 100 miles south of Vancouver, and a short ferry ride away from the San Juan Islands and the Olympic Peninsula. Snohomish County is home to over 20,000 businesses, ranging from small family farms specializing in organic foods, to the world’s largest advanced manufacturing facility producing state-of art aerospace equipment.

The region's climate can contribute to accidents throughout the Northwest Interior

The climate is generally mild and typical of the Puget Sound region. The year-long average daily high and low temperatures are 59 and 44.1 °F. The western region of the Northwest Interior has a marine oceanic climate that is strongly influenced by the Cascade Range and Olympic Mountains, and gets an average of 42 inches of rain per year.

In Accident Data Center, find recent accidents at the links below:

Whatcom, Island, San Juan, Skagit, and Snohomish County car accidents;

Whatcom, Island, San Juan, Skagit, and Snohomish County pedestrian accidents;

Whatcom, Island, San Juan, Skagit, and Snohomish County motorcycle accidents;

Whatcom, Island, San Juan, Skagit, and Snohomish County bicycle accidents;

Whatcom, Island, San Juan, Skagit, and Snohomish County train accidents;

Whatcom, Island, San Juan, Skagit, and Snohomish County truck accidents.

When someone is injured in an accident in the region, it is important to gather information about what happens next.

Being injured in a serious accident is always a shocking and scary experience, and dealing with the aftermath is exhausting and stressful. Accident victims are forced to deal with hospitalization, medical treatments, missed work, and lost income, often while trying to manage pain and disability from their injuries. And then the insurance adjusters start circling. Find out more about accidents and what issues an injured person needs to be aware of by going to this link.

What to do after a serious injury accident in Whatcom, Island, San Juan, Skagit, or Snohomish County

When someone has been injured or killed in a motor-vehicle collision, the accident victim and their family members are left with medical bills, lost income, and other costs. It is important to get legal assistance to help the accident victim recover, or when the accident is fatal, to help the family members get fully compensated for their losses. Learn more about how a Pacific Northwest personal injury attorney will help injured victims and families.

State: 
Washington

Legal Data Center

Top 7 reasons to hire an experienced personal injury attorney
What every family needs to know about a wrongful death case
When a bicycle accident is fatal, survivors have hard decisions to make
Twelve tips to improve your personal injury claim
If a loved one died in an accident, this could be considered a wrongful death

Accident reports by county

Island County, WA - 15
San Juan County, WA - 2
Skagit County, WA - 113
Snohomish County, WA - 328
Whatcom County, WA - 156

Legal Resources

Everett-Bellingham WA
If I was in a single-vehicle car crash, do I have a case?

If I was in a single-vehicle car crash, do I have a case?

If you have been involved in a single car crash that occurred through no fault of yours, it may feel as though you don’t have any options for finding financial help to get you through the recovery process. Further, the insurance company and perhaps the authorities will likely figure that the crash was your fault, and it’s tough – as well as inadvisable – to argue against them on your own. A good personal injury lawyer knows that there are often more factors at work in a car crash, and a single vehicle collision is no different. Click here to learn how personal injury law works in your favor if your car crash was due to poor road maintenance.

Everett-Bellingham WA
Tips on how to be a safer boater

Tips on how to be a safer boater

It's up to boaters to prepare themselves for worst-case scenarios, and that begins with property boating safety. If you've never taken a boating safety course, every state and national boating agency will encourage you to do so - even if your state doesn't require it. If you're just taking a course to get your license, you're taking it for the wrong reason. Safety is much more important than a card in your wallet. Click here for classes and resources on how to avoid boating accidents.

Everett-Bellingham WA
How to handle hydroplaning on the freeway

How to handle hydroplaning on the freeway

Wet roadways, especially prevalent here in the Pacific Northwest, present some driving hazards that can catch drivers off guard. One of those hazards is hydroplaning. Hydroplaning means a loss of traction and sliding on a film of water. Wet road surfaces can cause tires to hydroplane. This could result in the loss of control and steering ability, as your tires may lose contact with the pavement, and an accident might happen within seconds. It's a scary feeling to suddenly feel your car hydroplaning, but here are some things you can do to recover control of your vehicle quickly.

Everett-Bellingham WA
Tips for motorists on sharing the road with bicyclists

Tips for motorists on sharing the road with bicyclists

As the weather warms, more people take their bicycles on the road, for commuting to work, helping the environment, exercise, recreation, and to save on automobile expenses. As bicycling gains in popularity, also on the rise is the likelihood of a crash with a car, truck, or other vehicle – and, so often, these crashes result in serious injury or death to the cyclist involved. In sharing the road with bicyclists, motorists can do a few simple things to make everyone's journey safer. Click here for tips on how to avoid common errors that drivers sometimes make that can result in serious injury or death.

Everett-Bellingham WA
Be careful when transporting fragile goods: wear a bicycle helmet

Be careful when transporting fragile goods: wear a bicycle helmet

Did you know that some cities do not require bicyclists to wear helmets? There is no state law mandating their use, either. This is surprising, due to statistics showing that “helmet use has been estimated to reduce head injury risk by 85 percent,” according to the Bicycle Safety Helmet Institute, a volunteer advocacy group. Go here to learn how helmets protect you, and why you should never get on your bike without one.

Everett-Bellingham WA
The impossible texting and driving test

The impossible texting and driving test

I'd like to share this video that tells a compelling story about how it's impossible to text and drive at the same time.

"Plenty of people will crash, I'm telling you," says one student as he begins the test. He's right. Current statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's site on distracted drivingshow that each day in the United States, more than 9 people are killed and more than 1,153 people are injured in crashes that are reported to involve a distracted driver.  Every day. 

Click here to see the video showing how impossible it is to safely text and drive at the same time.

Everett-Bellingham WA
How to handle a tailgater

How to handle a tailgater

Chances are, if you have driven on any road beyond your driveway, you’ve looked up in your rearview to see the front grill of the car behind you filling the mirror entirely. It’s irritating, nerve-racking, and unsafe. Sometimes drivers do it without knowing, especially if they are distracted, other times it’s obvious they are trying to get on your nerves. You aren’t responsible for another driver’s careless driving, but there are a few things you can try to get away from a tailgater.

Everett-Bellingham WA
Lots of Rain? Don't Hydroplane. Here's How You Can Drive Safely on Wet Roads

Lots of Rain? Don't Hydroplane. Here's How You Can Drive Safely on Wet Roads

Wet roadways present some driving hazards that can catch drivers off guard, especially hydroplaning. Hydroplaning means a loss of traction and sliding on a film of water. Wet road surfaces can cause tires to hydroplane. This could result in the loss of control and steering ability, as your tires may lose contact with the pavement. It's a scary feeling to suddenly feel your car hydroplaning, but here are some things you can do to recover quickly if you hydroplane.

Most recent accident reports

17-year-old twins Janeah and Janesah Goheen dead and two others injured in accident on Hwy 20 in Anacortes on Oct 31

The Oct. 31 crash on Highway 20 that killed one Oak Harbor teenager near Anacortes has now claimed the life of her twin sister.

Date: 
Thursday, October 31, 2013
Roadway: 
Highway 20
City: 
Anacortes, WA
Type: Car Accident
Topics: 
Accident Topics: Teenaged Drivers - Young Adult Drivers

Wesley B. Martin, 39 and Angela Rodrick, 18, dead in collision on SR-548 in Ferndale on Oct 22

The driver of a pickup truck was attempting to pass a tractor-trailer in heavy fog on State Route 548 early Tuesday when he plowed head-on into an oncoming car, killing himself and the 18-year-old woman driving the car, the Washington State Patrol

Date: 
Monday, October 21, 2013
Roadway: 
Highway 548
City: 
Ferndale, WA
Type: Car Accident
Topics: 
Weather Conditions

Desirae Garrison-Jones killed in crash on W Badger Rd in Lynden on Oct 4

A Whatcom County man has been sentenced to almost two years in prison for causing a crash that killed a teenage girl in October on West Badger Road.

Date: 
Thursday, October 3, 2013
Roadway: 
West Badger Road
City: 
Lynden, WA
Type: Car Accident
Topics: 
Rollover

Inna Reva dead and Leonid Shintar injured in crash at Van Wyck Rd and Hannegan Rd in Bellingham on Sept 21

A Bellingham woman was killed and her passenger was injured in a two-car crash this morning north of Bellingham.

Date: 
Friday, September 20, 2013
Roadway: 
Unknown
City: 
Bellingham, WA
Type: Car Accident
Topics: 
Seat Belt Usage

Gaytor Donald Unick dies in crash on I-5 Grandview Rd exit in Ferndale on Aug 15

Bellingham and Whatcom County are growing in population, and with this growth comes increases in traffic, congestion, and accidents.

Date: 
Wednesday, August 14, 2013
Roadway: 
Interstate 5 Grandview Road off-ramp
City: 
Ferndale, WA
Type: Car Accident

Toddler Jack Joseph Kelley killed in lawn-mowing accident north of Ferndale on July 13

A Whatcom County toddler was killed this weekend when his grandfather accidentally backed over him with a riding lawn mower.

Date: 
Friday, July 12, 2013
Roadway: 
Unknown
City: 
Ferndale, WA
Type: Other Type of Accident

Abraham Guerrero dies in motorcycle accident near the Northwest Ave exit of I-5 in Bellingham on July 8

An 18-year-old motorcyclist was killed late Monday when he slammed into a cable barrier along Interstate 5 at high speed. Troopers responded to the scene, in the northbound lanes of I-5 in Whatcom County, at about 10:45 p.m.

Date: 
Sunday, July 7, 2013
Roadway: 
Interstate 5
City: 
Bellingham, WA
Type: Motorcycle Accident
Topics: 
Accident Topics: Teenaged Drivers - Young Adult Drivers

Man injured in explosion in the 8300 block of Golden Valley Blvd in Kendall on June 12

What personal injury victims need to know:

Date: 
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
Roadway: 
8300 block of Golden Valley Boulevard
City: 
Kendall, WA
Type: Other Type of Accident

6-year-old boy injured in fall from second-story window at 1840 Main St in Lynden on June 11

Date: 
Monday, June 10, 2013
Roadway: 
1840 Main Street
City: 
Lynden, WA
Type: Other Type of Accident

Scott Allen Monaghan, 45, found dead due to ATV crash on Cronk Rd off of Hwy 542 in Deming on June 10

A Deming man was killed in an ATV crash on a gravel road in woods north of the Mount Baker Highway. The Bellingham Herald reports it's not clear when the crash occurred but the body of 45-year-old Scott Allen Monaghan was found Monday morning.

Date: 
Sunday, June 9, 2013
Roadway: 
Cronk Road
City: 
Deming, WA
Type: Other Type of Accident
Topics: 
ATV/UTV Accident, High-Speed/Excessive Speed

Ramon Garcia, 21, dies in car crash on Lakeway Drive in Bellingham, Washington

Ramon Garcia died after striking a utility pole on Lakeway Drive. Troopers believe that speed was the primary factor, and that drugs and alcohol were not involved. Garcia was studying visual journalism at Western Washington University.

Date: 
Saturday, May 4, 2013
Roadway: 
Lakeway Drive
City: 
Bellingham, WA
Type: Car Accident
Topics: 
Overcorrection, High-Speed/Excessive Speed

Bruce White and Neville Kumar injured in crash on Slater Road in Ferndale on May 3

The things that you need to know about an accident with a drunk driver

Date: 
Thursday, May 2, 2013
Roadway: 
Slater Road near the bridge over the Nooksack River
City: 
Ferndale, WA
Type: Car Accident

Three adults and two children injured in a three car crash in Nooksack on January 4

The driver of a southbound Chevrolet Blazer — Norberto Bravo-Vasquez, 56 — didn’t stop at the intersection with a two-way stop at Van Buren Road and slammed into an Acura headed west at 11:24 a.m., said Washington State Patrol Trooper Keith Leary.

Date: 
Sunday, February 3, 2013
Roadway: 
East Badger Road
City: 
Nooksack, WA
Type: Car Accident

Debra G. Peterson strikes two cyclists with her car in Sumas on January 26; Steven Waterman, 36, killed and Daniel McKay, 51 injured

A driver suspected of being under the influence of prescription drugs hit two bicyclists, killing one of them, then drove off after initially stopping at the crash scene.

Date: 
Friday, January 25, 2013
Roadway: 
Highway 547
City: 
Kendall, WA
Type: Bicycle Accident

Boy, 7, hit by bus near Ferndale on January 10

A seven-year-old boy has been airlifted to Harborview Medical Center after being struck by a bus Thursday. The boy was a passenger on the bus and got off at Lummi Shore Drive near Ferndale.

Date: 
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Roadway: 
Lummi Shore Drive
City: 
Ferndale, WA
Type: Pedestrian Accident