RUMFORD — Two area women were taken to Rumford Hospital on Tuesday morning following a near head-on collision on Route 2.

Injuries sustained by Judith Delaney, 60, of Bethel, and Brenda Vlahakis, 60, of Rumford, were not believed to be life-threatening, Rumford police Cpl. Donald Miller said late Tuesday afternoon.

Miller said Delaney was driving a 2014 Subaru Forester east when she crossed the centerline into the path of Vlahakis, who was driving west in a 2005 Volvo station wagon about a mile or two past Royal Avenue.

He said he believes Delaney fell asleep.

The vehicles sideswiped each other, flipping the Forester upside down in a ditch.

“Two inches more to the left and it probably would have been more of a head-on collision and the injuries much worse,” Miller said.

The accident occurred in the 55 mph zone, he said.

Both drivers were wearing seat belts and their cars’ air bags deployed, he said.

At the time of the accident, the sky was cloudy but the road surface was dry, Miller said.

Traffic was shut down on Route 2 for a while, he said. Rumford firefighters directed traffic and removed debris from the road.

A mailbox was damaged and both vehicles were towed because of front-end damage. No charges were filed.

tkarkos@sunjournal.com