Air ambulance called to crash that gridlocked traffic near Qualicum Beach
First responders in the Oceanside area had a busy Wednesday, responding to four motor vehicle crashes within the space of a few short hours.
The most serious crash occurred shortly after 11 a.m. when a southbound car collided with the back end of a transport truck.
The impact severely damaged the front end of the car, requiring the driver to be extracted.
The crash occurred after 11 a.m. Wednesday. (CTV News)
"The highway was shut down for a short period of time while transport was arranged for the occupants by air ambulance. The other person was transported by ground ambulance to hospital," said Sgt. Shane Worth of the Oceanside RCMP.
"My understanding from the investigators on scene are that the injuries are not life-threatening," he said.
The crash occurred after 11 a.m. Wednesday. (CTV News)
Wesley Howerton was among those motorists stuck in a lineup that stretched for several kilometers waiting for the highway to reopen.
"It probably happened about a minute before we got here," he said. "I hope for the best for everyone involved."
The crash occurred after 11 a.m. Wednesday. (CTV News)
Three other crashes followed shortly afterwards, including one about a kilometre to the north of that serious rear-end. A sudden burst of bad weather is catching some of the blame.
"We did have a quick weather [event] up on the highway involving some snow and hail, which obviously seems to have caught some people off-guard, and that's likely a contributing factor in those crashes today," Worth said.
RCMP are reminding all drivers to slow down and use extra caution during poor conditions.
"The advice is just slow down, take your time and give yourself lots of room in front," said Worth.
"Always make sure that your vehicle is well maintained and your tires are good, your windshield wipers are working," he added.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
What weather experts say to expect this summer in Canada
Get ready to feel the heat, Canada. Weather experts are predicting more sunshine and warmer temperatures for the summer.
New COVID-19 subvariants become the dominant strains in Canada
More than four years after COVID-19 effectively shut down the world, two new variants of COVID-19 have become the dominant strains of the novel coronavirus in Canada.
Israel sends tanks into Rafah on raids amid Gaza-wide offensive
Israeli tanks mounted raids across Rafah in defiance of the World Court for a second day on Wednesday, after Washington said the assault did not amount to a major ground operation in the southern Gazan city that U.S. officials have warned Israel to avoid.
Tessa Virtue reveals she's expecting her first child. Here's what Canadians had to say
Canadian figure-skating icon Tessa Virtue is expecting her first child, she revealed via social media Tuesday.
Five more Ontario school boards join lawsuit against social media platforms
Five additional Ontario school boards and two independent private schools have joined a lawsuit against the owners of multiple social media platforms, including Snapchat, TikTok, and Facebook.
P.E.I. kiteboarder 'lucky to be alive' after shark attack in Turks and Caicos
A professional kiteboarder from P.E.I. says he has been seriously injured in a shark attack that occurred while he was snorkelling in the Turks and Caicos Islands last week.
'Unruly passenger' forces WestJet flight to make emergency landing in B.C.
A WestJet flight heading to Calgary had to make an emergency landing in northern B.C. Monday due to an incident involving an 'unruly passenger,' Mounties say.
In bizarre provocation, North Korea flies trash, manure balloons over the South
North Korea flew hundreds of balloons carrying trash and manure toward South Korea in one of its most bizarre provocations against its rival in years, prompting the South’s military to mobilize chemical and explosive response teams to recover objects and debris in different parts of the country.
Introducing peanut butter during infancy can help protect against a peanut allergy later on, new study finds
New evidence suggests that feeding children smooth peanut butter during infancy and early childhood can help reduce their risk of developing a peanut allergy even years later.