The Campbell River RCMP say multiple people were injured after a driver fell asleep at the wheel and crossed the center line of the South Island Highway over the weekend.
The crash occurred around 1 p.m. in the 3900-block of Highway 19A on Saturday.
Police say a Toyota van was seen crossing over the centre line, where it hit an oncoming car that tried to swerve away from it.
The struck vehicle was pushed into a ditch and nearby BC Hydro pole.
“Fortunately, nobody in the vehicle that was struck was seriously injured,” said RCMP in a release Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the driver of the van was found unconscious in his vehicle with minor injuries.
First responders arrived and were able to wake up the man, who police say may have had a medical issue that caused him to fall asleep.
“This was the second incident in a week, where a driver caused an accident due to falling asleep at the wheel,” said Campbell River RCMP Const. Maury Tyre.
“We cannot stress enough the need for people to ensure that they are fully awake and actually capable of getting behind the wheel,” he said. “Lack of sleep can create a severe level of impairment that puts lives at risk.”
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Adam Chan
