Date: 3/4/2014, 1 AM.
Fatalities: 1.
Who: Robert Wilson, 17.
Injuries: Drakkar Malone, 16 (Paralyzed from chest down), 16-year old girl (minor injuries).

Where: 15th Ave and 7th St., Rockford, IL.
Vehicles: Chevrolet Monte Carlo.
Impact Location: Front (est.).

Human element: Robert’s uncle, Pastor Melvin Brown, states that the survivors of the crash state that the vehicle was hit by a police car during a high speed chase that led to a loss of control, collision with the tree, and rollover.

The How:

The occupants of the Monte Carlo took off at a high rate of speed to avoid police cars, and crashed into the tree at the intersection. Robert was ejected from the vehicle and died at the scene, while Drakkar and the girl needed extrication from the vehicle.

The Why:

Risk factors: Speeding, possible lack of seat belt use, late night driving.

Protective factors: Youth of passengers.

Vehicle analysis: The dynamics of single vehicle crashes into rigid objects like trees differ from those of typical multi-vehicle crashes. However, in order to survive such crashes, protective factors such as seat belt use, front airbags, a good front crash score, a heavy vehicle, and a low rate of speed are essential. The Monte Carlo likely came with front air bags and had a curb weight of around 3391 lbs if the 2000 model. However, a collision at 35+ mph or similar speeds into this tree would likely have proven fatal without belt use, regardless of the weight of the vehicle or presence of airbags.

It is unclear at this point whether or not Robert was wearing his seat belt. However, given that the risk of ejection is several times greater in crashes wherein occupants don’t wear belts (especially when rollovers occur) than in crashes where occupants are belted, it is likely that he was not. However, this remains to be seen. It is unclear whether the other two occupants were belted either. However, young women are more likely to wear seat belts than young men, although younger drivers as a whole are less likely to wear belts overall, and the results of the crash in terms of injuries suggest that the girl may have been the only occupant in the vehicle wearing a seat belt.

The speed of the vehicle was the primary reason behind the crash itself, in accordance with statistics indicating that 1/3rd of fatal crashes, year after year, primarily involve speeding.

This is another preventable set of fatalities that occurred due to the decision to speed. I have to wonder if it might not have been preventable had the parents of the teenagers had some means of awareness of where and how quickly their teens were driving, such as through GPS technology.

If you find the information on car safety, recommended car seats, and car seat reviews on this car seat blog helpful, you can shop through this Amazon link for any purchases, car seat-related or not. Canadians can shop through this link for Canadian purchases.