BREMERTON, Kitsap County, Wash., Sept. 21, 2026 — A Washington State Patrol trooper suffered minor injuries on Saturday night, September 19, when another vehicle struck the trooper's patrol car on southbound State Route 3 near Bremerton.
The trooper had responded to an earlier crash in which a vehicle went into a ditch along SR 3 south of State Route 304, near milepost 36, State Patrol said. The initial crash was reported around 10:37 p.m.
While the trooper stood by after placing flares in the roadway, a driver came around a bend and struck the parked patrol vehicle, the agency said. The trooper, who was inside the car at the time, reported neck pain and was treated for minor injuries.
The driver whose vehicle first went into the ditch was taken to Tacoma General Hospital and is expected to face a DUI arrest, State Patrol said. That driver's condition had not been released as of Saturday night. The driver who struck the patrol car was described by troopers as fatigued and had not been charged as of early Sunday.
The right lane of southbound SR 3 was closed for the investigation, with no timeline given for reopening.
We hope those who were hurt recover fully and quickly.
Why Drivers Strike Parked and Emergency Vehicles on the Roadside
Roadside collisions like this one usually come down to a driver's attention lapsing for a few seconds at the wrong moment. A bend in the road, glare from headlights, or a moment of drowsiness can keep a driver from seeing flares, flashing lights, or a stopped vehicle until it's too late to brake or steer around it.
Fatigue plays a bigger role in these crashes than many drivers realize. A driver who has been awake too long reacts more slowly and can drift within a lane without noticing, which is especially dangerous on curves where a parked vehicle isn't visible until the last second.
Seat belts and modern crash-avoidance features matter most in these low-speed, direct-impact collisions. A trooper or driver belted inside a vehicle that gets struck is far less likely to be thrown against the interior or ejected than someone unrestrained, and vehicles with forward-collision warning or automatic braking give a fatigued or distracted driver a better chance of slowing before impact. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 23,959 passenger-vehicle occupants were killed in motor-vehicle traffic crashes in 2023.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should drivers do when they see flares or a stopped vehicle on the roadside?
Slow down early, move over a lane if it's safe to do so, and treat the area as an active work zone. Most states require drivers to give stopped emergency and service vehicles extra room.
What injuries are common in low-speed roadside collisions like this one?
Neck and back strain, whiplash, and soft-tissue injuries are typical, even at lower speeds, because occupants can be jolted suddenly inside the vehicle.
What usually causes these kinds of crashes?
Driver fatigue, distraction, and reduced visibility around curves or at night are recurring factors, along with impairment in some cases.
What to Do After a Roadside Collision in Bremerton, WA
If you're involved in a crash on the shoulder or roadside in Bremerton, move to a safe area if possible and turn on hazard lights. Call 911 to report the crash and request medical evaluation, even if injuries seem minor at first, since neck and back pain can develop hours later.
Get the names and contact information of anyone involved, and ask for the responding agency's report number so you can request a copy later. Take photos of the scene, vehicle positions, and any visible damage if it's safe to do so. Follow up with a doctor in the days after the crash if you notice stiffness, headaches, or soreness that wasn't apparent at the scene.
