Investigators Say Texting Caused Head-on Crash

Fire District 6 urges drivers to not test the statistics - don't text while driving.

Photos courtesy: Dawn Johnson/Clark Co. Fire District 6

(VANCOUVER, Wa.) - Texting is to blame for a head-on crash that sent one person to the hospital with traumatic injuries, according to Dawn Johnson with Clark Co. Fire District 6.

It happened today in the 9400 block of NW Lakeshore Ave. Johnson says crews arriving on scene around 1:30 p.m. found a GMC Sierra truck and a Mitsubishi Eclipse that had collided head-on in the southbound lanes. According to fire fighter/paramedics, the driver of the Mitsubishi Eclipse, a young adult male, suffered traumatic injuries.

He was transported to Southwest Washington Medical Center for further medical treatment.

The male driver of the GMC Sierra truck was also transported to Southwest Washington Medical Center for further medical evaluation.

Johnson said, "The Mitsubishi was headed northbound when its driver swerved into southbound lanes while text messaging on his phone."

One southbound vehicle was able to swerve out of the Mitsubishi's way, but the following GMC Sierra Truck was not.

The situation was confirmed when the mother of the driver of the Mitsubishi responded to the scene and said that her son had been text messaging her at the time of the accident.

According to the National Safety Council, text messaging while driving accounts for 200,000 traffic crashes every year.

Still, 81% of drivers in the United States admit to sending a text while behind the wheel of a motor vehicle.

Johnson said Fire District 6 urges drivers to not test the statistics - don't text while driving.