Bonner County, ID (July 3, 2026) – Twelve people were hurt in a two-van crash on Highway 95 near Elmira on Wednesday afternoon, July 2. The collision was reported at approximately 2:09 p.m.
A Ford Transit Van entering the highway was struck by a Chevrolet Express van carrying ten people. Everyone involved in the wreck, including both drivers, was taken to a hospital for treatment.
One person was transported by air ambulance. No details about the severity of the injuries or the identities of those involved were included in the initial report on the accident.
The crash remains under active investigation. We hope all twelve people hurt make full recoveries.
What Happens When a High-Occupancy Vehicle Is Involved in a Crash?
When a van or other high-occupancy vehicle is involved in a crash, the number of patients can quickly exceed what a standard emergency response is equipped to handle at once. Additional medical units are called in to ensure each person receives timely assessment and care. The range of injuries across a large group can vary widely, from minor to critical, requiring triage to prioritize the most urgent cases.
Air ambulance transport is typically reserved for patients whose injuries are serious enough to require a trauma center that ground transport cannot reach quickly enough. When multiple people need hospital care simultaneously, available ground units are allocated first, with air transport used for the most critical patient. Coordination between emergency units at the scene and receiving hospitals begins almost immediately after a multi-patient crash is reported.
Crashes that occur when a vehicle enters a highway from a side road or driveway involve a gap-judgment error, where the entering driver misjudges the speed or distance of oncoming traffic. On higher-speed rural highways, the margin for error during these maneuvers is narrow, and a vehicle moving at highway speed can close the distance far faster than expected.
