One person was airlifted to hospital in Victoria and three others were sent to area hospitals after a head-on collision near the top of the Hump on Highway 4, Friday, Aug. 2.
Port Alberni RCMP spokesperson Const. Richard Johns said the detachment received multiple 911 calls just before 9 a.m. about a collision that occurred close to the top of the Hump—Alberni Summit—about one kilometre east of the summit.
A pickup truck travelling westbound crossed the centre line and collided head on with an SUV heading eastbound, Johns said. Five people were injured and three had to be extricated from the vehicles.
The highway was closed in both directions and a helicopter landed near the brake check at the summit. First responders from Port Alberni and Cherry Creek fire departments, Port Alberni RCMP and three BC EHS ambulances responded; one of the three trapped in the vehicles was airlifted to a Victoria hospital while three others were transported to hospitals elsewhere on Vancouver Island, Johns said.
Traffic analysts were dispatched from Courtenay due to the seriousness of the collision. The highway was closed for almost three hours, then traffic on Highway 4 and Johnston Road heading into Port Alberni was congested as travellers continued on their way to the West Coast.
Johns said while speed is believed to be a factor, RCMP were still investigating and no charges had been considered yet.
He cautioned drivers travelling this long weekend to "take the extra time to make sure we can safely get to where we want to be.
"We saw a lot of continued speeding and distracted driving (as traffic cleared). Remember, even if you are being held up to follow the rules of the road."
