Accident On Dashcam

That's what I think as well, which also gives an indication to how close the downhill truck was. He's a lot closer than that wide-angle lens makes it look like. No way he has any fault in this wreck. He simply didn't have time to stop, and nowhere to swerve without killing someone and/or himself. He did all he could do.

This wreck is 100% the fault of the guy that pulled out.

 

Would be a good place for a redlight.

 

Yea, a red light. No way. Then you'll have those trucks coming down at 79mph without being able to stop. Totally unsafe.

 

It's just a bad location all around. US97 north traffic has to make that left turn onto WA14 and traffic can sometimes be heavy on 14, especially if there's a backup on I84 in the Columbia Gorge.

 

79mph? I'm lucky to maintain 60 mph on 14!

 

But he is the truck that passes you by ...
Red light may end in more rear end collisions. This just seems to be one place where people must use their gray matter a little more effectively. Alternatively, we could go ahead and spend a whole bunch of millions to rebuild/rethink the entire thing.

 

Could've been worse I guess? There could have been a 4 wheeler passing the cam truck on the right when that trailer made its flight?

 

IIRC it takes 1/2 second to perceive danger and another 1/2 second to react. I agree with you that the driver coming down the hill reacted within one second, you can see the front of his truck dipping as he applied the brakes.

PackRatTDI is spot on in all his posts about that intersection. It's a steep climb or descent from the Columbia River to the top of the gorge. It sucks if you are loaded heavy and need to take that left turn. Lots of drivers coming down the hill don't have a clue what a turn signal is for, plus you have to contend with timing your move with traffic from the right. I've sat at that intersection for minutes at a time, waiting for a clearing while traffic stacks up behind me.

Far better to wait and be sure it's safe than to guess the intentions of a truck coming down the hill.

 

It needs a light and a truck speed limit of around 45 coming down that hill.

 

That's for sure. Some things you just can't rush.

Going back to the truck with the cam having the right of way I wonder if he waved the Volvo to go 1st and the fool felt pressure to make the turn. A bad decision that could have turned out a lot worse anyway.