Tag Archives: crash

Elena T. Burr, 49, in Summit Township, MI, Killed in Car Crash

unsplash-bundgaard-flowersWho:

Elena T. Burr, 49, from Adrian, MI, was killed on 3/12/14 at around 4 PM close to McDevitt Ave. on US 27 in Summit Township, MI. She drove a 2013 Chevrolet Impala and was impacted by a 2005 Ford F-150 driven by Gary Lentz, 66, with his wife Shelly Olivia, 58, in the passenger seat. Burr managed several Long John Silver’s restaurants and was married with three children and a stepdaughter.

How:
Lentz was northbound and lost control on ice while driving on the highway, per police reports. He crossed the median and collided with a southbound Impala. Burr died at the scene while Lentz and Olivia were mildly injured.
 
Why:

Per the police reports, this was simply an unfortunate turn of events. The Chief Assistant Prosecutor stated Lenz likely hit an ice patch and lost control. Weather reports indicated there had been a snow storm that morning, and while the highway was mostly cleared by afternoon, there was some dampness left. At any rate, he lost control, crossed into oncoming traffic, and caused the collision. It is possible that, had the F-150 come with ESC, he would have been able to maintain control.

Investigating the physics of the crash, it is sadly not surprising that Burr died while the F-150 occupants lived, as her vehicle was massively outweighed by the Ford. The 2012 Impala weighs 3585 lbs and comes with a “good” IIHS frontal score. It was impacted by a 2005 F-150, that weighs roughly 5185 lbs, or 145% of the Impala’s weight.  As a result, the Impala’s driver automatically faced 45% more force in the collision than she would have if she’d collided with another Imapala, placing her at a severe disadvantage in the collision. The Ford occupants, meanwhile, experienced 31% lower forces due to weighing much more and putting many innocent people throughout the country needlessly at risk.

Given the likely speeds of the collision (~55 mph), the collision likely imparted at least 711KJ of energy into the Impala. The Impala frontal impact test simulates 260KJ of energy (an Impala impacting another at 40 mph). In other words, the Impala driver faced 273% of the force she’d have experienced in the type of crash her car was rated for. Given the speed of the collision, her odds of survival were, sadly, quite small.

The F-150’s frontal test simulates 376KJ of energy (a Ford impacting another at 40 mph), indicating that its occupants would have faced 131% of the forces the vehicle was rated to safely withstand, given that the Impala imparted 492KJ of energy into the F-150. This was clearly a survivable collision for the Ford’s occupants, which was reflected in their survival and lack of severe injuries.

This was an unfortunate tragedy that could have been prevented if there had not been such a great discrepancy in the weights of the vehicles involved in the collision, as well as if the offending vehicle had been equipped with appropriate tires for the weather conditions. As long as we are allowed to freely purchase giant vehicles and drive them without closer regulations (e.g., requiring purchasers of vehicles weighing more than 5000 lbs to obtain CDL licenses or requiring winter tires on all vehicles in states north of Kentucky during the winter), such tragedies will unfortunately continue to take our loved ones.

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.

Joyce Loomis, 63, in Coleman, TX, Killed in SUV / Pickup Crash

unsplash-spratt-flowers4Who:

Joyce Loomis, 63, from Aztec, NM, was killed at the scene on Sunday, 4/27/14, at around 11:20, in Coleman, TX, on the US 84 Bypass. She was a front passenger in a blue 2013 Honda Pilot driven by Tara Ritter, and was killed by a 2007 maroon Chevrolet Silverado driven by Ryan Schuessler, who was carrying Rebecca Schuesser as a front passenger. The Schuessers and Ritter were injured.

How:

Per police reports, it was a clear day with a dry road, and all passengers were belted, with all frontal bags deploying. The Pilot was southbound. The Silverado was northbound and crossed into the southbound lane. The Pilot driver tried to cross to the northbound lane to avoid colliding, but the Silverado driver corrected back into his lane, leading to the collision.

Why:

This is another sad case of driver error leading to a preventable collision.

The 2013 Pilot weighs ~4610 lbs and had a “good” frontal score. It was impacted by a 2007 Silverado, a large pickup with a “good” frontal score that weighs ~5179 lbs, or 112% of the weight of the Avalon. As a result, the Pilot automatically faced 12% more force in the collision than it would have colliding with another Pilot, placing it at a slight disadvantage in the collision. Meanwhile, the Silverado experienced 11% less force.

Given the likely speeds of the collision (~75 mph), the collision likely imparted at least 1.32MJ of energy into the Pilot. The Pilot’s frontal impact test simulates 334KJ of energy (a Pilot impacting another at 40 mph). In other words, the Pilot faced 395% of the force it would have experienced in the type of crash the vehicle was rated for. Given the speed of the collision, it is sadly unsurprising that the passenger died, although the survival of the driver does suggest the collision was survivable.

The Silverado’s frontal test simulated 376KJ of energy (a Silverado impacting another at 40 mph), indicating that its occupants would have faced 314% of the forces the vehicle was rated to safely withstand, given that the Pilot imparted 1.18MJ of energy into the Silverado. While these were still tremendous forces, occupants odds of survival were still slightly better than those of the Pilot occupants, which was reflected in the survival of the Silverado’s occupants.

We may never know why Ryan crossed the center line. We do know that his momentary instance of distracted driving took the life of another individual.

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.

Jennifer Miles, 33, in Van Buren, NY, Killed By Boat Trailer Tire

unsplash-calaf-flowersWho:

Jennifer Miles, 33, from Baldwinsville, was killed around 1 PM on Thursday, 4/24/14, in Van Buren, NY, on I-690 when a tire from a boat trailer smashed into the windshield and crushed the roof of her 2014 Kia Sportage. Her 23-month-old son and 4-year-old nephew received cuts and scrapes. She was a teacher at a local school. The trailer was driven by Nevada West III, 62, from Liverpool.

How:

Miles was westbound, while West was eastbound. A tire came off West’s boat trailer, bounced across the median, and landed on the roof of Mile’s vehicle. Her children were safely secured in appropriate car seats. A witness saw the accident and called 911, but Miles likely died immediately. West’s trailer was unregistered and had not been inspected. He was ticketed for both violations afterward. West continued to drive after the tire fell off until he was alerted regarding the collision. It is unclear how Miles stopped the vehicle after the impact.

Why:

This is a tragic case that would have been very difficult for Miles to prevent. She was driving on her way when a boat trailer tire detached, bounced down the road, crossed the median, and impacted her windshield and roof, killing her. The roof in question for the 2013 Kia Sportage was rated as “good”, meaning it was rated to withstand 4x the weight of the vehicle before crushing 5 inches.

However, the impact appears to have occurred at the intersection of the windshield and roof, and windshields aren’t capable of absorbing those kinds of forces, regardless of roof ratings. I don’t believe there is another publicly available vehicle in the United States that would have fared better under these conditions; the kind of glass used in motor vehicles simply isn’t designed to stop that much energy.

Essentially, the only way to have prevented this collision would have been for West to have ensured his trailer was registered, inspected, and in working condition. His negligence to do so led to Miles’ death. There is nothing she could have done to have avoided this.

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.

Debra Sue Oehmke, 56, in Charlotte, NC, Killed in Car Crash

unsplash-rhoeas-flowersWho:

Debra Sue Oehmke, 56, died in Charlotte, NC, on 5/7/14 close to Collingham Drive by the 10500 block of Steele Creek Rd. She drove a 2013 Volkswagen Passat and was hit by Trungquan Le Tran, 23, at around 9:03 AM. Tran drove a 2009 Honda Accord into her car. Oehmke was believed to have been heading to work, where she worked as an accountant. Tran was uninjured.

How:

Tran was southbound on Steel Creek Rd when he fell asleep. He crossed the double yellow, encountered oncoming traffic, and hit the northbound Passat head-on. Oehmke required extrication, was airlifted, and died that day at the hospital. Tran was arrested and faces a misdemeanor death by vehicle charge. Police stated neither speed nor alcohol factored in the crash. Both individuals wore seat belts.

Why:

Sadly, this collision was completely preventable. Tran fell asleep on the road. He almost certainly felt sleepy ahead of time, but judged himself capable of driving safely. An innocent victim is dead as a result of this error.

The 2013 Passat weighs 3212 lbs and comes with a “good” IIHS frontal score. It was impacted by a 2009 Accord, that weighs roughly 3386 lbs, or 105% of the Passat’s weight.  As a result, the vehicles essentially crashed into their twins, and the weight differences were insignificant.

Given the likely speeds of the collision (~55 mph), the collision likely imparted at least 464KJ of energy into the Passat. The Passat frontal impact test simulates 232KJ of energy (a Passat impacting another at 40 mph). In other words, the Passat driver faced 200% of the force she’d have experienced in the type of crash her car was rated for. Given the speed of the collision, her odds of survival were still significant, as most of the frontal crashes I research at this percentage of forces appear to be survivable. I don’t know why she was as severely injured as she was. The survival of Tran without any injuries further underscores my venture that both individuals should easily have survived the collision. The advanced age of Oehmke would have placed her at a greater risk of injury, and this likely played a role in the severity of her injuries.

This was an unfortunate tragedy that could have been prevented if Tran had simply pulled over when he felt sleepy.

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.

Lynn Groesbeck, 25, Killed, Toddler Daughter Survives Crash

unsplash-ottosson-motherWho: 

Lynn Jennifer Groesbeck, 25, of Springville, Utah, was killed at around 10:30 PM on Friday, March 6th, 2014 in the Spanish Fork River in Spanish Fork, Utah, when she drove her 2007-2012 red Dodge Caliber into a cement barrier on a bridge and plunged into the river by the Arrowhead Trail Road and Main Street junction, close to the Provo area. The only survivor was her 18-month old daughter, Lily, who was rescued in critical condition but released from the hospital several days later. Lynn is survived by her fiance and Lily’s father, 34-year-old Deven Trafny, who was not in the vehicle at the time of the collision. Three police officers and four fighters who participated in the rescue were treated for hypothermia and released. A support page for the family is available here.

How:

Per police and witness reports, a fisherman in the river spotted the red Dodge Caliber on Saturday at around 12:24 PM. It was floating upside down in the water. He called the non-emergency line first to report the vehicle and then notified police in a second call when discovering a woman’s hand in the vehicle.

Police, upon reaching the scene with firefighters, discovered Lily upside down and strapped into her car seat inches above the rushing water.Her mother was deceased in the driver’s seat.

Rescuers state they heard an adult female voice calling for help (stating “Help me…we’re in here.”), but cannot identify where it came from, as Lynn is believed to have died hours earlier during the collision.

Lynn had been in the nearby town of Salem on Friday visiting her parents that evening and had apparently collided with a concrete barrier on the southern end of the bridge while driving home to Springville with her daughter. It is currently not known why she contacted the barrier or why the vehicle veered off the roadway.

She left the town of Salem between approximately 10  and 10:30 PM, and the family was not aware that she did not arrive. A neighbor close to the bridge reported having heard a loud noise around the time of the collision (10:30 PM). The resident explored the area but did not see the vehicle. Lt. Cory Slaymaker from the Spanish Fork Police Department stated that it would have been impossible to see the car from the roadway due to its location.

Rescuers turned the vehicle over, as it had been upside down, in order to remove Lily from her car seat. According to first responders, her eyes were fluttering, but she was unconscious and otherwise unmoving. Lily was recovered from the vehicle through a human assembly line to get her back to shore, where first responders began performing CPR. She was transported to Mountain View Hospital by ambulance before being flown to Primary Children’s Hospital, where she was in critical condition. She had not eaten or drank in 14 hours. She was released from the hospital some days later.

Police later reported that a small bag of marijuana, a bottle of Tramadol (a narcotic-like chronic pain reliever), and an unused and unopened syringe were found in Groesbeck’s purse. However, it is unknown if these factored in the collision. There were no signs of mechanical failure in the vehicle and there were no skid marks on the road.

Investigators believe she might have clipped the concrete barrier before leaving the roadway. Drowsiness and distraction are currently being investigated as possible contributors to the crash.

Why:

It’s been a long time since I’ve written about the orphan seat, but unfortunately, the fact that this tragedy has been reported in so many news circles does make it an opportunity for advocacy about the continued importance of properly restraining our children, driving safely, and driving safe vehicles.

Let’s start at the beginning, with the collision itself and circumstances leading up to it. We know Lynn was driving home at night from visiting her parents, and it’s likely she was familiar with the area. Night driving carries risks of low-visibility, as well the more pressing risk of fatigue. With the information we have, my greatest suspicions regarding the cause of the collision with the concrete barrier are that she either began to fall asleep or that she was momentarily distracted by something. If I had to choose one of the two, I’d guess she fell asleep, especially given the lack of skid marks leading up to the collision, suggesting she did not perform any emergency braking maneuvers immediately before the crash. Whatever the initial cause of impaired driving, upon striking the barrier, she lost control of the vehicle and left the roadway, which is one of the greatest risk factors for single vehicle collision fatalities, and unfortunately drove into the river to the right of the bridge.

A risk factor present at this point that also deserves mention involves the tapered construction of the bridge barrier. While the barrier was ostensibly created to reduce the likelihoods of vehicles entering the water, the ramp-style design could easily have contributed toward launching the vehicle off the side of the road and down the hill into the river once the wheels of the vehicle made contact with the barrier. This design was not a safe one and may have played a significant role in her leaving the roadway.

We know that she was driving a Dodge Caliber, but I don’t know precisely which year. Why does the year matter? Because Electronic Stability Control, a feature shown to reduce the risks of fatal single vehicle collisions by up to 50%, was an optional feature in every year of the Caliber’s existence except for 2012, the final model year. ESC might have prevented her from completely leaving the road, or at least might have enabled her to maintain enough control to slow her descent into the river to a degree that would have enabled her to survive the collision, presuming she died of injuries due to the collision itself. However, a safety feature even more basic than ESC is ABS, or anti-lock brakes. Dodge didn’t find those important enough to make a standard feature on the Caliber either, at least until 2011. This means she might have had even less control of the vehicle than drivers of vehicles made more than a decade earlier. These are the kinds of elements that matter when choosing a safe car.

Whatever the reason, she left the road and did so in a severe enough fashion to rollover the vehicle by the time she entered the river. To Dodge’s credit, the Caliber came with side-impact airbags in every year of manufacture (and activated side airbags are visible in the images above), but it did not come with rollover-sensing airbags, which suggests the vehicle may have become airborne at some point or otherwise experienced a severe side impact while rolling into its final upturned position. Rollover-sensing airbags would have tripped the moment the vehicle started rolling over, while regular side impact airbags would not have activated until the vehicle experienced a significant side force. In other words, it’s possible that Lynn might have suffered a concussion and lost consciousness or died during the rollover itself before the vehicle came to rest in the river. Either would have rendered her incapable of rescuing herself or her daughter.

If she did not die from a side impact injury, she might alternatively have died from injuries related to the roof caving in by the A-panel, which is particularly visible in the 3rd picture of the Caliber above. The Caliber has an “acceptable” IIHS roof score, which states the roof was capable of supporting around 3.5x the vehicle’s weight before caving in by 5 inches when tested. A “good” score would have supported 4x the vehicle’s weight, and might have made the difference between the observed level of roof crush and providing a survivable amount of space in the front area of the occupant cabin.

An examination of the vehicle in the pictures above also indicates the impact that led to the rollover occurred on the passenger side, due to the extensive body damage on the right side of the vehicle and the relatively undamaged body panels on the left side of the vehicle. The lack of left-side damage also suggests the vehicle only rolled over once. However, the damage was enough to significantly crush the roofline in the front left and right sides of the vehicle.

At any rate, the roof in the rear portion of the Caliber held enough to maintain the seats of the upside-down vehicle (and Lily in her car seat) above the water line.

This brings up another point: despite the observations of the fisherman, the vehicle could not have been floating, as nearly no vehicles float for a significant amount of time when immersed in water. In an immersion, you have between a few seconds and a few minutes, on average, to exit a vehicle. You don’t have 14 hours. The vehicle was almost certainly resting against a shallow part of the riverbed that happened to be shallow enough to allow part of the vehicle to maintain above the water line.

Moving on, why did Lynn die? I have no idea. But the circumstances of the collision suggest she either died or became unconscious upon impact or died shortly after due to shock, hypothermia, or drowning. None of the reports I’ve come across indicate whether or not she was wearing a seat belt, so there’s little point in speculating further here until more information is available.

What about the drugs? Well, Lynn was apparently in a serious accident years back that could easily have left her with chronic pain that she might have been managing with Tramadol (and perhaps the marijuana). I believe private marijuana use is illegal in Utah, but again, there’s no proof that she was actually under its influence at the time. She was also in a medical assistant program, which could potentially explain the unopened syringe. I don’t know. We’ll have to wait for the toxicology reports. But given the care with which she restrained her child, I would not expect her to have been under the influence of any drugs at the time of the collision.

Regarding Lily, we can get a clearer picture of why she survived by analyzing the vehicle and the cicumstances of the collision. Images of the vehicle indicate her car seat was in the center rear seat, which is the safest position for a car seat in a collision, as it’s impossible for that position to receive a direct hit and it’s the furthest from a side impact, on average.

Being properly restrained in a car seat, including being restrained with the proper levels of harness tightness and a secure seat installation meant that she didn’t succumb to the severe forces of the impact or rollover, fly out of her seat or out of the vehicle entirely during the collision, and that she was able to remain in her seat, which, in conjunction with the relatively strong roof of the vehicle and fortunate position on the shallow riverbed, meant she was kept above the water and able to breathe and not succumb to hypothermia, even though she eventually lost consciousness.

How do we explain the female voice the first responders swear they heard that encouraged them to find Lily?

I’ll leave that up to you, as it’s beyond my expertise.

In conclusion, this is a tragic story that speaks to the need to drive safely, to choose safe vehicles, and to choose and use car seats for your youngest travelers. There is no doubt that Lily would not be alive had her mother not taken the steps she did to ensure she was safe and sound before driving away from her parents. I have no idea which car seat she used, and frankly, it doesn’t matter that much. It could have been a high-end seat like a Clek Fllo or a basic seat like a Graco Size4Me 65; both would have done an excellent job keeping her safe. And that’s the ultimate goal.

Rest in peace, Lynn. And thank you for taking care of your daughter as best as you could before you set off that night.

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.