Two Crashes on I-40 in Durham Involve Up to 10 Vehicles, Cause Major Traffic Backups

DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA – Two separate wrecks on Interstate 40 Saturday afternoon brought traffic to a standstill in Durham County, with as many as 10 vehicles involved and long backups in both directions of the highway.

Multiple Vehicles Involved in Westbound Crash Near Davis Drive

The first crash happened just after 1:40 p.m. in the westbound lanes of I-40 near Davis Drive (exit 280). According to the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT), the wreck appeared to involve more than six vehicles and forced closure of the two left lanes.

Live traffic camera footage showed at least seven vehicles pulled to the shoulder after the crash. The collision caused a traffic backup of at least two miles, extending into Wake County.

Emergency responders were seen at the scene, but officials have not confirmed whether there were any injuries.

Second Crash Minutes Later Near Fayetteville Road

Just 20 minutes later, a second wreck occurred eastbound on I-40 near Fayetteville Road (exit 276). At least four vehicles were involved, with one car reported facing the wrong direction after the impact.

The eastbound crash created an additional traffic jam, with backups stretching for more than a mile, according to NCDOT.

Traffic Cleared by Mid-Afternoon

Officials said the Davis Drive crash was cleared by 3:45 p.m., and the Fayetteville Road wreck was removed by 3:35 p.m. By late afternoon, traffic was moving normally again in both directions.

As of Saturday evening, no information had been released regarding possible injuries in either incident.

More details are available from The News & Observer.

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