There were some frightening moments Thursday evening following a rollover collision between a 17-year-old new driver and an impaired motorist in West Vancouver.
Around 10:30 p.m. two teens in a Volvo travelling west on Marine Drive T-boned a Lexus SUV coming south through the intersection at 21st Street. West Vancouver Police Department Sgt. Tim Kravjanski said it’s still unclear who had the right of way.
The Lexus flipped and rolled over during the incident.
A couple in their mid-50s were taken to Lions Gate Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Police said the Lexus driver was found to be impaired by alcohol and was given a three-day immediate roadside prohibition.
“It’s unclear if it (alcohol) is a causal factor, however there was alcohol involved,” said Kravjanski.
Speed is not believed to be a factor in the crash and traffic conditions in the area were normal at the time, according to Kravjanski.
“On a Thursday night it wouldn’t be heavy, no. It would be light traffic,” said Kravjanski.
The intersection on Marine Drive near the West Vancouver Community Centre was shut down briefly while police investigated the scene.
Kravjanski said District of West Vancouver Fire and Rescue crews helped cut the couple out of their damaged Lexus.
Kravjanski said the accident reinforces the message about the dangers of drinking and driving.
“Anywhere, anytime if you are impaired you shouldn’t be on the road, no matter how busy or how quiet it is, because either you are going to crash yourself or you could crash into somebody else,” he said.“Alcohol is a serious, serious causal factor in collisions.”
The young driver of the Volvo and his passenger escaped the accident without injury.
