A 9-year-old girl got out of an SUV after a roller car wreck on Sunday in a Southern California canyon and hiked nearly two hours to find help. Her father was pinned inside the driver’s seat. By the time the California Highway Patrol arrived at the scene, the driver was pronounced dead. The 2010 Ford Escape fell 200 feet into the canyon on a part of Sierra Highway in the desert on north Los Angeles County around 1am on Sunday, and the vehicle flipped many times. The girl got the attention of a passing driver at around 2:30am, according to news reports.
Category Archives: Car Accident
[video] Child Ejected from SUV on Icy Roadway in Russia
A young girl was thrown from an SUV when it skidded along a highway in Russia and crashed in a truck. The girl, who was not secured in a car seat, was ejected from the vehicle and a truck was able to narrowly avoid hitting her. A dashboard camera of the car driving behind the scene of the wreck recorded the entire incident. The driver of the SUV, a 53-year-old man, lost control when he was trying to pass another vehicle, according to news reports. She luckily only sustained cuts and bruises.
Hundreds Spend Night Stuck on Interstate During Winter Storm
A winter storm wreaked havoc on the southeastern part of the United States. In Cullman County, Ala., hundreds were forced to spend the night trapped on Interstate 65 due to a winter storm that caused wrecks.
Hundreds of cars were stuck in the mess that began Thursday afternoon with a winter that caused four inches of snow. Officials said 120 stranded motorists made their way to a shelter, but there were many others who did not.
Southwest Virginia was also hit hard by snow with some areas getting 13 inches. Interstate 77 was partially closed because of numerous accidents, along with disabled vehicles, downed trees and snow covering the roadway. The Virginia State Patrol reported receiving more than 760 calls because of crashes and disabled vehicles.
One man in Mississippi was killed when his car struck a downed tree. Police and rescue crews across the region were warning people to stay home as much as possible. Safety officials were hopeful that the interstates would be opened Friday and life could get back to normal.
I am saddened to hear about the loss of the life and the terrible conditions that so many people had to endure. I hope this story serves as a reminder for people about the importance of being prepared for anything.
During the winter months, you need to bring blankets and warm clothing as well as food and water to make sure you are safe if you become stranded.
Florida Man Killed by Van with Dog
A Florida man died when he was struck by a van that started moving in reverse because of a hyper dog.
The 69-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, a 68-year-old woman had backed the 1995 Chevy onto their property, and the passenger got out of the van to open a gate at their home.
The woman opened the door on the driver’s side to see where the man was standing, and a large boxer jumped into the van and pressed the accelerator.
The driver was unable to stop the vehicle before it ran over the passenger and trapped him on the ground. The death is under investigation, but the driver has not been charged at this time.
This terrible tragedy highlights the importance of remaining vigilant at all times. Experts have long warned about the dangers of having animals in vehicles. They should always be kept in the proper restraints because they can distract drivers and can also become projectiles during an accident.
However, this case is unusual because the dog was outside of the car and entered. Drivers should not exit a vehicle even for a second unless it is in park.
Fatal Car Wrecks in Decline
The Department of Transportation released data that shows in 2011 there were the least deaths ever reported due to car collisions. The decrease in deaths can be attributed to improved driver education and better technology. In other forms of transportation, the number of fatalities is on the rise, however, including bicycling. There were 32,367 fatalities in 2011, which represents a decrease of 1.9 percent from 2010 and the lowest number of fatal wrecks since 1949.
Improved seatbelt and airbag technologies, along with better driving habits, are credited to reduce the number of deaths. Car design is also a factor, as many cars are designed with improved safety features. Many educational programs have been expanded over the years and may also be a reason for the decline. “We’re confident that NHTSA’s 5-Star Safety Ratings Program and nationwide collaborations like ‘Click It or Ticket’ and ‘Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over’ have played a key role in making our roads safer,” said NHTSA Administrator David Strickland. The NHTSA is still careful about applauding themselves since there are many steps in safety improvement left.
On Monday, they released many new findings about how vehicle safety and technology have improved and prevented fatal car wrecks. The number of fatal wrecks for occupants of passenger vehicles and light trucks lowered by 4.6%. Drunk driving wrecks resulting in fatalities reduced 2.5%. In 2011, 9,878 lives were lost in drunk driving accidents in comparison to the 10,136 in 2010. An almost 2% decrease in roadway deaths are also a result of a decrease in travel by 1.2%. The Fatality Analysis Reporting System noted the lowest fatality rate ever, with 1.10 deaths per million cars, which decreased 1.11 deaths per 100 million miles in 2010.
For occupants of large trucks, pedal cyclists, pedestrians, and motorcyclists, the number of fatalities increased. 20% of vehicles on the road are large trucks, and the NHTSA is cooperating with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration in order to determine why there was a increase in crash fatalities for larger sized trucks.
Distraction was also a rising factor in the crashes between 2010 to 2011, according to news reports. There were 3,267 fatalities due to distracted driving in 2010, while in 2011 that number rose to 3,331. This represents an increase of 1.9%. An increase in reporting may be the cause behind the increased number, say investigators. “Even as we celebrate the progress we’ve made in recent years, we must remain focused on addressing the safety issues that are continuing to claim more than 30,000 lives each year,” Mr. Strickland said.
Man Sentenced to Five Years for Vehicular Homicide
A 31-year-old was sentenced to almost five years in prison due to driving distracted and rear-ending a car, resulting in the death of a 10-year-old boy. The wreck happened along State Route 93 in Ohio. The crash caused the victim’s car to get pushed into the opposing lane of traffic and colliding head-on with a car. The suspect was looking at a text massage when the wreck happened. He plead guilty to one count of vehicular homicide and three counts of aggravated vehicular assault, according to news reports.
Mother Collides with Utility Pole
A collision on San Antonio’s east side may be the result of distracted driving. The wreck happened when a female driver with four children in the vehicle hit a utility pole. She may have been tending to one of the children when the wreck happened. Two of the children were not hurt, while one was taken to a nearby hospital for a bleeding nose. Immediately after the wreck, emergency crews shut-off the power to a service line. Eastbound and westbound traffic was closed for approximately one half-hour while crews cleared the scene of the crash, according to news reports. The driver was not cited.
Elderly Driver Smashes into Family
An elderly driver lost control of his Mercedes and veered off the roadway in London. A father walking with his wife and child had just enough time to push his child out of the way. The 83-year-old driver was treated for minor injuries. The accident remains under investigation and police have not made any arrests as of yet. The mother was bending over to talk to her son when the driver collided into them. Messages and flowers were left at the site of the collision, according to news reports.
Tractor-Trailer Collides on Hwy. 49
Drivers are reminded to remain careful while driving along Highway 49 in Craighead County, Arkansas. On Sunday night, a truck collided with a tractor-trailer, causing traffic to come to a stop. The number of accidents in this area have increased recently after the speed limit rose to 60mph. One resident mentioned there are many sirens that sound near her home. She lives close to Hwy. 49. The speed limit rose from 55 to 60, resulting in many accidents. Local residents advise drivers to slow down and keep their attention on the roadway, according to news reports.
Two Injured in Head-On Crash
A head-on collision resulted in injuries for two people near Vernal, Utah around noon on Thursday, according to news reports. The driver explained to investigators that he was heading down Route 191 when he crossed over the center line because he got distracted. He was attempting to pull back into his own lane when he collided head-on with a truck. The truck driver and passenger were pulled from the car by firefighters who arrived at the scene. The distracted driver and his passenger were treated for serious injuries. According to Utah Highway Patrol, he was cited for improper lane travel.