Traffic Delays on State Route 395 Following Blue Bridge Collision

Washington State Patrol and Washington State Department of Transportation responded to a collision on the Blue Blue Bridge on Wednesday.

The driver suffered minor injuries after colliding into the back of a truck trailer on NB State Route 395. The crash happened on Northbound State Route 395 from Kennewick into Pasco at the Blue Bridge. Traffic was down to a single lane for quite some time.

Troopers say the collision happened before the deadly plane crash, and is NOT related.

The Driver of the Car Was Cited for Following Too Closely

In Washington State, following too closely RCW 46.61.145 (or tailgating), is a traffic violation issued when a motorist fails to maintain a resonable and prudent distance from the vehicle ahead of them.

The driver of a motor vehicle shall not follow another vehicle more closely than is reasonable and prudent, having due regard for the speed of such vehicles and the traffic upon and the condition of the highway.

The citation usually carries a fine between $100 and $200, and will add demerit points to your license.

Common Causes for Following Too Closely or Tailgating Include:

• Inattention while driving
• Impatience
• Aggressive driving

It's recommended that drivers always keep a safe following distance - at least 3 seconds behind the vehicle in front of you.

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2023 Best Looking State Patrol Cars In (Almost) Every State

For the past 10 years, the American Association of State Troopers has held a contest to determine which state has the best looking patrol cruiser. Nearly every state police agency submits their best photo of their sharpest patrol vehicle a chance to win the coveted cover photo on the association's annual calendar. From cop cars rushing through blizzards to vehicles on the Grand Ole Opry stage, here are this 2023's nominees.

Gallery Credit: Rob Carroll

LOOK: See how much gasoline cost the year you started driving

To find out more about how has the price of gas changed throughout the years, Stacker ran the numbers on the cost of a gallon of gasoline for each of the last 84 years. Using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (released in April 2020), we analyzed the average price for a gallon of unleaded regular gasoline from 1976 to 2020 along with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for unleaded regular gasoline from 1937 to 1976, including the absolute and inflation-adjusted prices for each year.

Read on to explore the cost of gas over time and rediscover just how much a gallon was when you first started driving.

Gallery Credit: Sophia Crisafulli