Image Credit: FILE PHOTO
July 23, 2019 - 12:42 PM
SALMON ARM - The Trans-Canada Highway was closed for several hours yesterday following two separate head-on vehicle collisions that resulted in two people being airlifted to hospital.
According to a Salmon Arm RCMP media release, police were called to a crash on Highway 1 at 3:16 p.m. yesterday, July 22, after a Toyota Camry and a Ford F-150 pickup truck was involved in a head-on collision just west of Sunnybrae Road. An occupant of the Camry was removed from the vehicle by emergency responders and taken to hospital via air ambulance.
While police were still at the scene, another vehicle collision involving three vehicles west of Salmon Arm on the Trans-Canada near 3 Nations Road was reported.
RCMP say a Volkswagen Jetta travelling westbound meet up with stopped traffic and collided into the rear of a Toyota Highlander SUV, pushing the SUV over the centreline where it collided with a Mercedes SUV travelling in the opposite direction.
Multiple occupants of the three vehicles involved suffered serious injuries with the occupant of the Volkswagen airlifted to hospital.
The highway was closed in both directions for several hours.
"Police would like to remind motorists that distracted driving and driver inattention is a top contributing factor to motor vehicle crashes, along with drug and/or alcohol affected driving, and of course speeding," Salmon Arm RCMP Sgt. Scott Lachapelle said in the release.
"Roadways are very dynamic environments, with situations and circumstances that can change quickly. By taking your eyes off of the road for even a moment you increase the chance of a crash or collision."
RCMP say investigations into the collisions remain ongoing.
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