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Mr. Blanco was driving northbound in the number 2 lane of Highway 101 south of
Salmon Creek overpass on a rainy afternoon when he lost control of his
truck. He slid across 4 lanes of traffic into the guardrail on the
western side of the highway. Ms. Holly drove her car into the side of Mr.
Blanco’s truck and was severely injured. WCP&A reconstructed this
accident and demonstrated that substandard roadway drains, grading, and
shoulder width caused a temporary pond in the number two lane after a
10-year-recurrence-period 15 minute rain storm; this pond caused Mr. Blanco’s
truck to start hydroplaning. We also demonstrated that a substandard
cross slope to the highway allowed sheet flow of water down the highway instead
of to the shoulder & gutter; this prevented Mr. Blanco’s truck from
regaining steering control. We also demonstrated that Mr. Blanco was not
exceeding the speed limit, the main storm had passed, and only light rain was
falling at the actual time of the accident.
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