Terrible Crash on I-75 Results in Fatality

[DriVer]

By PATRICK KELLAM Senior Correspondent
1st Responder Network

BRADLEY COUNTY, TENN – At 1:30 PM today, Sunday, July 01, 2007, the Tri-Community Volunteer Fire Department responded to a reported accident with entrapment and fire near the 14 mile marker on Interstate 75 northbound.

For more information continue to read the article located HERE

The person in this story was driving a Workhorse powered, Tiffin Allegro Bay motorhome. You can see the fender badge on the right side front of the motorhome in the picture accessible from the link below.

The motorhome only had a single occupant and it does look new so I'm thinking that this could have been a ferry driver.

1st Responder Picture

Note that the left side of the motorhome is embedded into the rear of the trailer by at least 7 to 8 feet.

[DriVer]

By PATRICK KELLAM Senior Correspondent
1st Responder Network

BRADLEY COUNTY, TENN – At 1:30 PM today, Sunday, July 01, 2007, the Tri-Community Volunteer Fire Department responded to a reported accident with entrapment and fire near the 14 mile marker on Interstate 75 northbound.

For more information continue to read the article located HERE

The person in this story was driving a Workhorse powered, Tiffin Allegro Bay motorhome. You can see the fender badge on the right side front of the motorhome in the picture accessible from the link below.

The motorhome only had a single occupant and it does look new so I'm thinking that this could have been a ferry driver.

1st Responder Picture

Note that the left side of the motorhome is embedded into the rear of the trailer by at least 7 to 8 feet.

["007"]

Not looking to good for driver where ever he is.
This is the third rear ender in the past month lets not add to them.
I hope everyone going to Branson has a safe ride keep extra space from cars, trucks and anything in front of you and keep your speeds down so you have time to react to the crazeys around you.
See you all there.

[FrontRangeRVer]

This makes my stomach turn as we just drove that portion of the highway.....

I'm wondering if the RV driver was driving too fast and also if the truck was stopped at the time...

Lets be careful out there!!

[max49]

That is pretty sad.
Even tho 'we are big', These thin fiberglass cages we have around us are not much protection.
I also would like to know where and why the fire started from. All the propane appliances and tank are a distance from the impact area.

Here's another bad Cl A crash but apparently no fire http://salem-news.com/articles/july0...ash_070207.php

Makes me wonder if these toads contribute to unsafe handling and/or braking.

[Lorna]

As a former resident of Chattanooga and frequent traveler on the surrounding interstates (I75 & I24), I can tell you the interstate traffic runs fast and is dangerous to travel in. As driving conditions worsen, the traffic runs faster. I have seen the roads ice over in the winter and the traffic up to 90mph. We say there are no accidents in Hamilton county, just hits and near misses. (For those who do not know the geography... Bradley County adjoins Hamilton on the east side... Marion county adjoins Hamilton Conty to the west... we lived in Marion county for several years after staying in Hamilton county for 1 1/2 yrs... David continued to work in Hamilton county for several years).

[John-D]

The one in the Salem news they say the elderly driver simply ran the light. They also said there was a fireworks "Store" 10' away from the pizza parlor... Humm, pizza, often attracts beer, add fireworks and you have a fatal waiting to happen (However NOT a traffic fatality)

IN my years as a police dispatcher, in an office that was lifted straight out of a science fiction movie (I'm not kidding, I saw the movie) we got to watch quite a few 4-wheel idiots (And a few 2 or 18 wheel idiots as well)

We developed a method of telling if a car was front/rear or 4wd in the winter here in S.E. Mich

Front end in ditch, back on dry pavement.. FWD
Rear in ditch RWD

So far off the road we needed to swing the camera, use the zoome function and follow the tracks in the snow to maxium range.. 4WD

[FLYTYER]

When my wife and I took the AARP Senior Safe Driving Program tailored for RV'rs 2 years ago we learned that a 3 second space should be applied between us and the vehicle in front of us.

This was a different perspective to me, but once back on the road, I realized how important it is.

Since then I have increased this space to 4 seconds because of some incidents where 3 seconds were almost too short.

I have actually seen similar accidents with RV's and once you see it in real life, it adds a little more caution to your driving habits.

I pray all IRV2 folks take heed and drive safely.

[John-D]

Well WB2LOU, Back when I was a police dispatcher we had cameras that monitored freeway traffic. Here in Dertoit most drivers are about 1 second or less behind the guy in front of them. I mean, 3 cars on a 4 lane highway and two of them are tailgating (1 second behind the car in front of you *IS* Tailgating, 2 seconds recommended back when I was a teen is now 3 seconds as you posted)

So I see folks at 1 or less. I see it driving too.

So what happens with "Stuff" happens.

Stove in the road, driver #1 of the 3 changes lanes #2 and #3 usually managed with only a change of underware.

Finally a group of 4 (three tailgators) Driver #1 changed lanes at the last second, #2 changed underware #3 I'm fairly sure tapped #2 on the bumper, #4 did not slow down, swerve or anything else, he hit the stove at 70mph and punted it off on the shoulder about a quarter mile down the road. Cameras are so much fun.

[BEBOP]

This almost happened to me a couple of months ago. We were doing 55 (towing toad) on freeway early morning and came to an exit that was full and about 10 vehicles backed up to the freeway and about 20 more stopped on the freeway.
I was following an 18 wheeler. BUT........I wasn't paying close enough attention as the truck/trailer I was following moved to the left and I am still seeing the back of a trailer in front of me. MY wife screamed that the truck was stopped when I was about 4 lenghts from it. I managed to go into the next lane to the left, missing the truck and the other traffic.
I have nighmares about this and I will not be ever forgetting it. I will be much more aware of my surroundings as I am driving in the future.
Bebop

[DriVer]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by FLYTYER:
I pray all IRV2 folks take heed and drive safely. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>Amen! Safe travels to Branson .. see you there.

[rotts4u]

That is only 15 miles from my house. Kinda scary considering I drive my Tiffin RV that way some myself.



Lets hope we all learn something from this and drive safer.

Don

[Tarheel 62]

It appears to me that the MH must be an UFO. Would a front engine MH have helped? Notice what appears to be a gas door opening just over the tire. Bad place for a gas tank,don't you think?

[depchief]

Do not think the MH was a UFO, does have the WorkHorse decal, looking at the pictures the rear does not appear to have a radiator grille.
Have not heard that Tiffin is building on the chassis.

Look at the toad, appears to have damage on the front fenders, wonder if the tow bar collapsed