Community Forums

frankdamp · 09-09-2013, 04:35 PM

There was a bad accident on I4-5 a couple of days ago which has a very urgent message for us all.

Not long after midnight on a weekday, the 911 dispatcher got a call from a young woman who'd collided with a deer in the middle lane of the freeway. Deer was dead, front end of her car was badly mangled, and although not seriously hurt, she needed assistance to get her car off the road. The impact has ripped the battery loose and she had no lights.

Just as the dispatcher is urging her to get out of the car, there's an almighty bang, then no more phone conversation. When police and rescue people arrived on scene, they found the small car smashed to smithereens by a double-tow 18-wheeler that had been running at 60 mph, and the young woman dead.

Bottom line, people, if your vehicle is stopped at night, in a traffic lane of the freeway and the lights have failed, grab your cell phone and get out of there, NOW . Once you're on the shoulder of the road, call for help.

BFlinn181 · 09-09-2013, 04:48 PM

Reminds me of an incident years ago outside of Washington, D.C. I was a tour guide in a charter bus full of kids on I-66. As we came over a rise and started downhill the first of two vehicles in front had a big stuffed animal fly out of the bed of his pickup. The car in front of us not only slowed and steered around it, SHE STOPPED dead in front of us. Our driver stood on the brake treadle and checked his mirrors, there were vehicles on either side of us, he couldn't dodge her. We kissed the back bumper of the car. I jumped out and ran up to the passenger window and told the girl we'd follow her to the side of the road, but we couldn't stay on the downside of a blind hill on an interstate. She wouldn't move, afraid we'd drive off. I promised to walk in front of her car until we got off the road, but we were moving the bus if we had to push her to do it. She finally did pull off, but stopping in traffic on a highway is bad news. Move, then call and deal with the accident! The stuffed animal was caught under the front of the bus, we kept it the rest of the tour as a mascot.

RickO · 09-09-2013, 05:01 PM

Sad story but thanks for the reminder.

We can't get too comfortable just because we pull to the shoulder either though... day or night.

Somehow cars on the side of the road can turn into magnets for impaired drivers.

TXiceman · 09-09-2013, 05:23 PM

There are a large numbers of LEO's hit each year while responding to a disabled vehicel on the side of the road. Seems drunks are drawn to flashing lights like a moth to a flame.

A good friend of our daughter lost his leg and a football scholarship when he pulled off the road to help and elderly couple change a tire after dark. They were completely off the road on the shoulder and had the emergency flashers working. An idiot plowed into his car and knocked into the one with the bad tire trapping his leg.

So, get the vehicle off the roadway and get away from the vehicle. Set out flares, flashers or reflectors as required to alert other drivers...but get away from it and let the professional help you.

Ken

wa8yxm · 09-09-2013, 06:01 PM

It is amazing what some folks think, They would rather sit there with their tails hanging out in 70mph traffic (55 posted limit) than move to the shoulder and clear the road.

Had a couple of young ladies (Teen) blow a tire, center lane, They did get themselves to the shoulder but left the car in the center lane.. Had a State trooper very close (like 2 miles) by the time he got there I think there were 7 dead and that many more injured.

slickest1 · 09-09-2013, 08:20 PM

Very sad story. Only you can save your life in a situation like that. Get out and get away.

frankdamp · 09-10-2013, 11:11 AM

In this case, unfortunately, the car was too badly damaged to be moved and had no electrical power to turn the flashers on.

nforus · 09-11-2013, 12:47 PM

I can see in to the truckers cab when either I'm passing them or them me. It's amazing how many are texting ( also the same with a lot of passenger cars) I agree, get the heck off of the road and let the insurance company worry about your smashed rig!!

HicksRA · 09-11-2013, 01:02 PM

That's the first thing my brother told his wife when she called him after spinning out on the ice on Christmas morning and hit the guard rail on the freeway - "get out of the car".
She got out of the car and walked over to the side of the road when another car hit the ice, tried to miss her car and plowed right into her. Almost killed her and took one leg off above the knee and mangled the other leg.
If she'd stayed in the car, she would have been fine. You never know what's going to happen in some situations.

frankdamp · 09-11-2013, 01:55 PM

Sorry to hear about your sister-in-law. You can never be sure what's the best plan.

Before we emigrated, I road-tested motorcycles for a living (Norton). It always bothered me that the patch of ice that made me fall off is the same one that 18 wheeler is trying to stop on!

Caveman CBB · 09-11-2013, 07:40 PM

Get far, far, off the road. Don't stand on the edge of the road or even in the ditch. Run as high up to the top of the ditch as you can.

Cbones · 09-11-2013, 07:58 PM

Good advice for any vehicle. I here this story way too often. People today have way too many distractions when driving. Every second you look at a phone, radio, or whatever is 88 ft of inattentive driving at 60 mph! Be careful out there folks!