Terry Farrell
Record staff
A female motorist is in hospital with non-life threatening injuries after a horrific crash on the Comox Valley Parkway, Friday afternoon.
The driver of a black 1996 Pontiac sedan was travelling into Courtenay from Highway 19 (the inland highway) when she crossed the centre line into oncoming traffic and collided head-on with a garbage truck, then started spinning. An oncoming panel van then also collided with the garbage truck in an effort to avoid hitting the car.
Both truck drivers escaped unscathed. Firefighters had to use the jaws of life to extricate the driver of the car.
The speed limit on the Cumberland connector is 80 km/h. Police say the collision happened just before the speed zone slows to 50 km/h, where the road enters the city limits.
"It's typical this time of year, B.C. long weekend sees approximately 385 collisions on average on Vancouver Island alone, with 85 injuries,” Const. Chris Mousseau of North Island Traffic Services (RCMP) told CTV Vancouver Island. "So again we'd like to remind the public to slow down, take your time and plan your trips accordingly. Abstain from drugs and alcohol. We will be out there checking for that."
–With files from CTV Vancouver Island