Driver receives minor injuries after collision with Ride the Ducks vehicle

SEATTLE — A 65-year-old woman is walking away with minor injuries after her car collided with a Ride the Ducks vehicle Sunday afternoon in Seattle.

The two-vehicle accident happened just after 3 p.m. at Westlake Avenue N and Highland Drive.



Eyewitnesses to the accident said they were reminded of the fatal Aurora Bridge tragedy right before it happened.

“We were just talking about how ever since the Aurora Bridge thing, I am uncomfortable driving around Ducks, especially on Westlake because the turn down there, they always make wide turns,” said driver Matt Hanaford.

Matt and his wife Paige were driving behind the KIA sedan, when they say it was struck by the amphibious vehicle.

“The KIA was kind of in the Duck’s front blind spot, the Duck went to go change lanes and hit the center of her car and spun her in the middle of the road,” said Hanaford.

The driver of the KIA was transported in stable condition. “We showed up and found an approximately 70-year-old female with minor injuries in that they were limited to her hand, she was transported in a basic life support unit to Swedish Medical Center,” said

Captain Shata Stephenson, Seattle Fire Department.

A passenger on the attraction at the time of the accident said she believes the older woman driving the KIA caused the accident.

“She just turned right in front of him,” said Darcy Kelly. “I just watched her do it, and I heard the crunch.”

Kelly said the ride up until that point and even during the accident was good. She said the driver and tour guide acted calmly, and she never felt unsafe.

“They’re doing a great job and they’re very calm and got it all together,” she said before boarding a second Ride the Ducks vehicle, brought in to attend to passengers.

Seattle Police Department Patrol Division is investigating the accident. As of Sunday evening, they did not release which driver was at fault or if citations will be issued to either driver. They told us they will be investigating the accident as any other minor injury accident.

Paige Hanaford said she doesn’t want to drive next to Ducks on Westlake. “It makes me nervous to drive next to them,” she said. “On this road, it’s so narrow and these Ducks go along here all the time and so I know I’ll be cautious around them because of what I just saw.”

Q13 News reached out to Ride the Ducks for comment, as of Sunday night, we have not heard back.