Bellingham welcomes thousands of visitors each summer, with people traveling to Mount Baker, Chuckanut Drive, the San Juan Islands, and attractions throughout Whatcom County. While the warmer months are one of the busiest times of year for the local economy, they also bring heavier traffic to roads such as Interstate 5 and Guide Meridian (SR-539). More unfamiliar drivers, increased congestion, and busy intersections can all contribute to rear-end, T-bone, lane-change, and other serious collisions.
For more than a decade, Walton Injury Law has represented people injured in car accidents. County. If another driver’s negligence caused your injuries, our car accident attorneys can help you pursue compensation for your medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, and other losses. In this guide, we explain why collision risks increase during the summer months, the roads where crashes are most likely to occur, the laws that may affect your claim, and the steps you can take to protect your right to compensation.
Bellingham Roads That Become Busier During the Summer
While collisions can occur at any time of year, certain roads in Bellingham experience heavier traffic during the summer months, increasing the likelihood of accidents. These include:
Interstate 5 Through Bellingham
Interstate 5 is the main route connecting Bellingham with Seattle, Vancouver, and the rest of the Pacific Northwest. During the summer, it also carries visitors traveling to the San Juan Island ferry terminal, Mount Baker, and other destinations throughout Northwest Washington. Heavier traffic around interchanges, combined with drivers making late lane changes or braking suddenly for exits, can increase the risk of rear-end, sideswipe, and multi-vehicle collisions.
Guide Meridian (SR-539)
Guide Meridian becomes particularly busy during the summer as Canadian visitors cross the border to shop at Bellis Fair, Costco, Trader Joe’s, and other retailers. The corridor also provides access to hotels, restaurants, and numerous local businesses. Frequent turning movements, vehicles entering and leaving businesses, and motorists weaving between lanes to reach their destination can contribute to rear-end and side-impact collisions.
Chuckanut Drive
Chuckanut Drive attracts visitors from across Washington because of its coastal scenery, viewpoints, hiking trails, and access to Larrabee State Park. During the summer months, the route sees a mix of sightseeing motorists, cyclists, and motorcyclists traveling at different speeds. Drivers slowing unexpectedly to admire the scenery or turning into viewpoints and trailheads can increase the risk of rear-end collisions, while the winding nature of the road leaves less room to recover from driver error.
Lakeway Drive
Lakeway Drive is a key route between Interstate 5, downtown Bellingham, Lake Whatcom, Whatcom Falls Park, and surrounding neighborhoods. Warmer weather brings more people to the area’s parks, trails, and recreational facilities, increasing traffic throughout the day. Vehicles turning into parks, businesses, and residential streets, combined with higher numbers of pedestrians and cyclists, can increase the likelihood of T-bone collisions, rear-end crashes, and accidents involving vulnerable road users.
What Washington Summer Car Accident Statistics Tell Us
Summer consistently ranks among the most dangerous times of year for drivers in Washington. Increased travel, school holidays, tourism, and more time spent on the road all contribute to a rise in serious collisions between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
The 100 Deadliest Days
The period between Memorial Day and Labor Day is commonly known as the 100 Deadliest Days because of the increase in fatal traffic crashes. In Washington, approximately 30% of all traffic fatalities in 2025 occurred during the summer months, highlighting the heightened risks associated with this period. Traffic safety officials highlight distracted driving, speeding, impaired driving, and an increase in inexperienced teenage drivers as major contributing factors.
Washington Summer Crash Trends
Preliminary figures show that traffic fatalities in Washington decreased by nearly 10% in 2024 compared with the previous year. Even so, 731 people lost their lives on Washington roads, and the annual total remained 36% higher than in 2019. The figures suggest that, although road safety is improving, serious crashes continue to occur at historically high levels across the state.
What Makes Summer Driving More Dangerous?
Summer creates driving conditions that are less common during the rest of the year. Holiday traffic, road trips, festivals, outdoor events, and sightseeing place more vehicles on the road, while roadworks can disrupt normal traffic flow. In Bellingham, the summer tourism season also brings more drivers unfamiliar with local roads, increasing the likelihood of sudden braking, missed turns, and last-minute lane changes.
How Can You Protect Yourself During Bellingham’s Busy Summer Season?
While you cannot control the actions of other drivers, taking the following steps can help you navigate Bellingham’s roads more safely during the summer months.
Allow More Time for Your Journey
Summer traffic can build quickly on roads such as Interstate 5, Guide Meridian (SR-539), and routes leading to Mount Baker and the San Juan Islands. Allowing extra time for your journey reduces the temptation to speed, make aggressive lane changes, or rush through busy intersections when traffic becomes congested.
Expect the Unexpected
Many summer visitors are unfamiliar with Bellingham’s road network and may slow unexpectedly, miss turns, or change lanes at the last moment after following GPS directions. Maintaining a safe following distance and anticipating unexpected maneuvers can give you more time to react and avoid a collision.
Stay Alert Around Popular Tourist Areas
Popular attractions, parks, shopping areas, and waterfront locations attract higher numbers of pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists, and vehicles during the summer months. Reducing your speed, scanning for vulnerable road users, and approaching intersections with caution can help lower your risk of being involved in a serious accident.
What to Do if You Have Been Injured
If you have been involved in a collision, taking the following steps can help protect both your health and any potential legal claim.
- Seek Medical Attention: Call 911 if anyone has been injured. If you are visiting Bellingham and are unsure where to go, emergency responders can arrange transport to the most appropriate medical facility, such as PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center.
- Report the Accident: Contact law enforcement so the collision is properly documented. Depending on where the accident occurred, the responding agency may be the Bellingham Police Department, the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office, or the Washington State Patrol.
- Gather Evidence: Summer traffic can clear quickly, particularly on busy roads such as Interstate 5 and Guide Meridian. If it is safe to do so, photograph the vehicles, road conditions, traffic signs, and any visible damage before the scene changes. Obtain the contact details of any witnesses who saw the collision.
- Exchange Information: Collect the other driver’s contact details, insurance information, and vehicle registration. If they are visiting from another state or driving a rental vehicle, make a note of that as it may become relevant when dealing with the insurance companies.
- Contact a Bellingham Car Accident Attorney: An attorney can begin gathering evidence, obtaining the police report, and dealing with the insurance companies on your behalf.
At Walton Injury Law, we regularly assist people injured in collisions involving tourists and out-of-state drivers. We can help gather the evidence needed to support your claim and work to identify or locate drivers who have returned home, if necessary.
What Laws Apply to Tourist-Related Car Accident Cases?
Washington law governs car accidents that occur in Bellingham, even if the other driver is visiting from another state or country. The following legal principles can affect how your claim is handled.
Negligence
To recover compensation, you must prove that another party’s negligence caused the collision and your injuries. This generally means showing that the driver failed to exercise reasonable care, such as by violating traffic laws or driving in a manner that placed others at risk.
Comparative Fault
Under RCW 4.22.005, Washington follows a pure comparative fault system. If you were partly responsible for the collision, you can still recover compensation, but your award will be reduced by your percentage of fault.
Fault-Based Insurance
Washington is a fault state, meaning the driver who caused the collision is generally responsible for the resulting damages. This remains true whether the at-fault driver is a local resident, an out-of-state visitor, or driving a rental vehicle.
Statute of Limitations
Under RCW 4.16.080, you generally have three years from the date of the collision to file a personal injury lawsuit. Although you have three years to file a lawsuit, it is often beneficial to begin investigating a tourist-related collision while evidence and witness recollections remain fresh.
Our car accident attorneys can help prevent fault from being unfairly assigned to you and ensure your claim is filed within the required time limits.
What Compensation May Be Available?
Depending on the circumstances of your case, you may be able to recover compensation for the following losses:
- The cost of medical treatment: This can include everything from emergency transportation and diagnostic imaging to physical therapy, specialist appointments, prescription medication, and any future treatment your injuries require.
- Income lost while you recover: If your injuries force you to take time away from work or affect your ability to return to your previous job, you may be entitled to recover both lost income and future earning losses.
- The personal impact of your injuries: Compensation may also be available for physical pain, emotional distress, reduced enjoyment of life, and the ways your injuries affect your day-to-day activities and independence.
- Vehicle damage and out-of-pocket expenses: You may be able to recover the cost of repairing or replacing your vehicle, along with expenses such as towing, storage charges, replacement transportation, or accommodation costs if the collision disrupted your travel plans.
- Losses following a fatal collision: If a loved one is killed in a car accident, surviving family members may be able to pursue compensation for funeral expenses, the loss of financial support, and other damages available under Washington law.
At Walton Injury Law, we seek compensation that accounts for both your current and future needs, rather than encouraging a settlement that only covers your immediate losses.
Why Choose Walton Injury Law?
Walton Injury Law was founded by Christopher C. Walton, a respected personal injury attorney who holds an AV Preeminent® peer-review rating and has been selected as a Super Lawyer every year since 2013. Both Bellingham residents and visitors turn to our firm because we provide:
Experience With Tourist-Related Car Accident Claims
Our attorneys regularly represent people injured in collisions involving tourists and out-of-state drivers throughout Bellingham and Whatcom County. We understand the unique challenges these cases present, including working with out-of-state insurance companies and locating drivers who have returned home.
Free Consultations and No Upfront Fees
We offer free consultations to help you understand your legal rights after a car accident. If we take your case, you pay no upfront legal fees, and we only receive a fee if we recover compensation on your behalf.
Prepared to Take Cases to Trial
Reaching a fair settlement is the preferred outcome, but not at any cost. If negotiations fail to reflect the full value of your claim, we have the experience and resources to pursue your case through litigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below are some of the most common questions we receive from people involved in car accidents during the summer months.
What if the other driver has already left Washington?
The driver does not need to remain in Washington for you to pursue a claim. If the collision occurred in Bellingham, your claim can usually continue through the driver’s insurance company under Washington law.
Can Walton Injury Law assist me if I am visiting Bellingham?
Yes. We regularly represent visitors injured while traveling in Bellingham and can continue handling your claim after you return home. Most communication can be completed by phone, email, or video conference.
Can I recover compensation for vacation expenses?
Potentially. Depending on the circumstances, you may be able to recover losses such as prepaid accommodation, cancelled activities, replacement transportation, or other reasonable expenses caused by the collision.
What if the crash involved a rental vehicle?
Most claims involving rental vehicles are resolved in the same way as any other car accident. The main difference is that the rental company may need to provide information about the vehicle or its insurance coverage.
Schedule a Free Consultation With Walton Injury Law
Summer is an especially busy time on Bellingham’s roads, which can unfortunately increase the risk of collisions. Whether you are a resident or visiting the area, Walton Injury Law can help you pursue fair compensation for your injuries.
To learn more, explore the resources on our website or contact Walton Injury Law to schedule a free consultation.