Two serious crashes on state Route 503 in recent weeks prompted The Reflector to ask the Washington State Patrol what drivers should keep in mind as traffic increases during the busy summer travel season.
The recent collisions in both Clark and Cowlitz counties underscore the dangers that troopers say often accompany the "90 dangerous days" of summer, when vacations, holiday travel and road construction combine to create more hazardous driving conditions.
One of the recent crashes on state Route 503 involved a violent head-on collision near Yale Valley that resulted in two people being airlifted to hospitals for treatment. Another crash south of Fargher Lake drew attention after a pickup truck came to rest on top of another vehicle.
Washington State Patrol Trooper Dakota Russell said investigators also suspect alcohol played a role in the crash near Yale Valley.
With schools out and more travelers expected on Washington roadways, Russell said WSP recently launched its annual "Surviving Summer" traffic safety campaign.
"We just kicked off our Surviving Summer campaign through the 90 dangerous days we call it, which is June, July, August," Russell said.
His first message to motorists is to plan ahead before consuming alcohol.
"Plan ahead if you're going to drink, drink responsibly,” Russell said. “This year currently in 2026 we're at 370 DUIs, and that's just within Clark County, and that's just what we've arrested as the state patrol.”
Russell also encouraged drivers to eliminate distractions behind the wheel.
"Don't be distracted, focus on what's ahead, focus on driving," he said. "Distracted driving could be a number of things whether it could be looking at yourself or looking at maps, but there's another aspect to it of making sure we're safe when we're doing other activities whether it be eating or, you know, we've seen a lot of dogs on the laps, right."
Patience, he said, may be the most important quality during the summer months as roadway construction creates delays throughout the region.
"We see through this time an influx of work zones, specifically down here," Russell said. "Be patient in work zones. I understand that traffic's going to slow. It's going to be disappointing to some, right? People are going to be irritated. Just be patient. We want you to get to where you're going but we also want to keep everyone within the work zones that are actually working safe."
Through the year, Russell said troopers in Clark County have investigated 600 collisions and made more than 8,400 speeding contacts. Those numbers are similar to last year's pace, though total collisions are slightly lower.
"We're down for total collisions. We're at 600. This time last year, we're 629,” he said. “Relatively the same but we're still down, which is good. We like to keep that trend going through the year.”
Russell also encouraged the public to report dangerous driving by calling 911 when it is safe to do so.
"If you see a possible DUI, if you see someone with egregious lane travel that you're worried they're going to cause a wreck, absolutely call it in," Russell said. "Know where you're at, know which direction you're going. That's going to be the first two questions."
He added that callers should never put themselves at risk to obtain information.
"The only thing we don't want is if they're driving recklessly or at a speed that is extremely unsafe. We do not want people to chase them down and also a speed. That's unsafe to try to get the license plate," Russell said. "Just do the best you can."
Looking ahead to the Independence Day holiday and the remainder of the summer, Russell said WSP's goal remains simple.
"We just hope you know our goal is that hopefully everyone has a happy and safe summer right," he said. "Please plan ahead if you're going to drink responsibly, go enjoy yourself, but do it in a safe manner."
