Get out of the car... please.

Scalded Dog · 10-21-2016, 12:02 PM

A couple of days ago, I was rolling along I-210 in Fontana, CA. I saw a car on the shoulder with a flat tire. As I passed, I glanced into the car (a Chrysler 300)... I have a soft spot for elderly people or single moms or whoever might need a hand. However, I could see that the vehicle was unoccupied.

Less than 1/10 second after passing the car, I heard a tremendously loud, "Boom!" My car shuddered. I thought that I had blown a tire, but a glance in the mirror gave me a great view of the Chrysler launching into the air, a Silverado in the mix, and airborne debris everywhere.

The Silverado driver had apparently had seizure of some sort, and simply lost consciousness. He had drifted entirely off the road, onto the dirt shoulder (he actually collided mostly with the PASSENGER side of the Chrysler, to give you an idea of how far off the road the Silverado had drifted).

I stopped... the Silverado driver was unconscious, but did not appear injured... moments later, another motorist stepped up, and offered to assist the Silverado driver, if I would go back to where the Chrysler wreckage was. We both feared that there would be some pretty serious injuries with that car, given its condition, and the fact that it had been launched through the air (and into the traffic lanes).

But, there were none... no injuries whatsoever. The driver of the Chrysler was a smart man, and once the car had become disabled, he had pulled to the shoulder, turned his hazard lights on, and MADE HIS FAMILY GET OUT OF THE CAR.

We hear from safety experts that it's best to get out of the car, when it's disabled on the side of the highway... but, for many, it's so much easier, and so much more comfortable, to just wait in the car... air conditioning, radio, leather seats... seems a lot more comfy than sitting in the bushes. But, mean ol' dad had made his family get out of the car, and wait high up the sloped shoulder, practically in the bushes. Mean ol' dad saved his family's life.

In fact, he told me afterwards, that while they were waiting, his six- year- old daughter had asked if she could pass the time by jumping rope along an inside part of the wide shoulder. It was well off of the driven roadway, and a few feet offroad from the disabled car, even... seems like a relatively safe place for a kid to kill some time by jumping rope. But, dad wouldn't let her... he got her WAY off of the shoulder. Wouldn't you know it: The tracks that the Silverado left in the dirt went directly across where that little girl WOULD HAVE been happily skipping rope.

It was a good day... no shredded remains of a six- year- old had to be extracted from the grill of a Silverado. Nobody got hurt (says something about the Silverado's safety design!). But most importantly a lesson was driven home, a lesson that I'm sharing with anybody who will pay attention: If your car is disabled on a roadway, highway, or any place where an out- of- control vehicle COULD be a problem, get out of the car. Get up and away from the roadway. It could save a life.

Scottiemac · 10-21-2016, 12:34 PM

Smart dad! This goes for all roads especially highways/freeways.

BMR Sales · 10-21-2016, 01:06 PM

I was expecting more damage to the vehicles. Glad nobody was hurt

Silver14 · 10-21-2016, 02:04 PM

Glad that no one was hurt. Those kids will listen to their Dad for a while!

Scalded Dog · 10-21-2016, 05:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BMR Sales

I was expecting more damage to the vehicles. Glad nobody was hurt

If it had been a direct hit, the damage would have been insane, and I am not certain that the driver of the Silverado would have fared as well as he did. Ironically, because he veered so FAR off the road, he avoided a direct rearend collision, and experienced more of a glancing/ sideswipe blow.

Only a few days before, I saw a much worse accident (Geez, is it bad luck to be within 100 miles of me?!?)... a flatbed truck hauling what looked like concrete block had rearended an 18- wheeler (on notorious Baker Grade, between L.A. and Vegas). The entire cab of the flatbed was gone... simply not visible. It appeared to have sort have collapsed upon impact, and the momentum then pushed the cab all the way inside of the leading trailer... it just swallowed the entire cab. Only the cargo portion of the flatbed remained, sticking out of the back of the 18- wheeler's trailer. No way the flatbed driver survived that... Highway Patrol appeared to be doing a fatality investigation at the time.

5thGenOwner · 10-22-2016, 10:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scalded Dog

If it had been a direct hit, the damage would have been insane, and I am not certain that the driver of the Silverado would have fared as well as he did. Ironically, because he veered so FAR off the road, he avoided a direct rearend collision, and experienced more of a glancing/ sideswipe blow.

Only a few days before, I saw a much worse accident (Geez, is it bad luck to be within 100 miles of me?!?)... a flatbed truck hauling what looked like concrete block had rearended an 18- wheeler (on notorious Baker Grade, between L.A. and Vegas). The entire cab of the flatbed was gone... simply not visible. It appeared to have sort have collapsed upon impact, and the momentum then pushed the cab all the way inside of the leading trailer... it just swallowed the entire cab. Only the cargo portion of the flatbed remained, sticking out of the back of the 18- wheeler's trailer. No way the flatbed driver survived that... Highway Patrol appeared to be doing a fatality investigation at the time.

Excellent OP! And yes, stay away from me... please.

10-21-2016, 12:02 PM	#1
Scalded Dog Drives: 2011 1LT Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Crestline, CA Posts: 3,029	Get out of the car... please. A couple of days ago, I was rolling along I-210 in Fontana, CA. I saw a car on the shoulder with a flat tire. As I passed, I glanced into the car (a Chrysler 300)... I have a soft spot for elderly people or single moms or whoever might need a hand. However, I could see that the vehicle was unoccupied. Less than 1/10 second after passing the car, I heard a tremendously loud, "Boom!" My car shuddered. I thought that I had blown a tire, but a glance in the mirror gave me a great view of the Chrysler launching into the air, a Silverado in the mix, and airborne debris everywhere. The Silverado driver had apparently had seizure of some sort, and simply lost consciousness. He had drifted entirely off the road, onto the dirt shoulder (he actually collided mostly with the PASSENGER side of the Chrysler, to give you an idea of how far off the road the Silverado had drifted). I stopped... the Silverado driver was unconscious, but did not appear injured... moments later, another motorist stepped up, and offered to assist the Silverado driver, if I would go back to where the Chrysler wreckage was. We both feared that there would be some pretty serious injuries with that car, given its condition, and the fact that it had been launched through the air (and into the traffic lanes). But, there were none... no injuries whatsoever. The driver of the Chrysler was a smart man, and once the car had become disabled, he had pulled to the shoulder, turned his hazard lights on, and MADE HIS FAMILY GET OUT OF THE CAR. We hear from safety experts that it's best to get out of the car, when it's disabled on the side of the highway... but, for many, it's so much easier, and so much more comfortable, to just wait in the car... air conditioning, radio, leather seats... seems a lot more comfy than sitting in the bushes. But, mean ol' dad had made his family get out of the car, and wait high up the sloped shoulder, practically in the bushes. Mean ol' dad saved his family's life. In fact, he told me afterwards, that while they were waiting, his six- year- old daughter had asked if she could pass the time by jumping rope along an inside part of the wide shoulder. It was well off of the driven roadway, and a few feet offroad from the disabled car, even... seems like a relatively safe place for a kid to kill some time by jumping rope. But, dad wouldn't let her... he got her WAY off of the shoulder. Wouldn't you know it: The tracks that the Silverado left in the dirt went directly across where that little girl WOULD HAVE been happily skipping rope. It was a good day... no shredded remains of a six- year- old had to be extracted from the grill of a Silverado. Nobody got hurt (says something about the Silverado's safety design!). But most importantly a lesson was driven home, a lesson that I'm sharing with anybody who will pay attention: If your car is disabled on a roadway, highway, or any place where an out- of- control vehicle COULD be a problem, get out of the car. Get up and away from the roadway. It could save a life. Attached Images

10-21-2016, 12:34 PM	#2
Scottiemac Drives: Black 2015 1ss/rs Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: Philadelphia Posts: 354	Smart dad! This goes for all roads especially highways/freeways.

10-21-2016, 01:06 PM	#3
BMR Sales Drives: Race Car Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Seffner, FL Posts: 6,226	I was expecting more damage to the vehicles. Glad nobody was hurt

10-21-2016, 02:04 PM	#4
Silver14 Drives: 2014 SIM 2SS Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 925	Glad that no one was hurt. Those kids will listen to their Dad for a while!