Who:

Date: 2/16/14.
Fatalities: 5.
Who: Esmerelda Saucedo, 29, Breanna, 11, Jada, 6, Nikko, 3, and Isaac, 1.

Injuries: 1. Martinez Bejarano, 41, major injuries.

Where: Marks and Excelsior intersection in Riverdale, CA.
Vehicles: Ford Expedition, 2004 Nissan Quest.
Impact location: Front left of Expedition, by the engine block.

Human element: Family members stated that the family was traveling to a Fresno restaurant to celebrate the 2nd birthday of the youngest child. The father was following behind in a second vehicle, saw the crash occur, and tried unsuccessfully to save his family, but was unable to pull any members from the vehicle.

How:

The Expedition was heading south on Marks and had the right of way when it was T-boned by the red Quest, whose driver was heading west on Excelsior and did not stop at the light. The Quest was estimated to be traveling at around 60 mph in the 55 mph speed zone. The Expedition burst into flames up to 15 feet high shortly after the crash and everyone in the vehicle died at the scene despite extrication attempts by the father.

Why:

Risk factors: Quest driver did not stop at the stop sign, Quest driver was driving without a license, witnesses stated multiple prior fatalities had occurred at that intersection. Potential engine defect in Expedition.

Protective factors: Equal weight vehicles.

Vehicle analysis: The single highest loading factor for this collision was the failure of the Quest driver to yield at the stop sign. Beyond that, it is unclear why none of the family members were able to exit the vehicle. It is possible that the mother became incapacitated due to the collision and was therefore unable to exit or aid her children in exiting the vehicle. If the fire spread from the engine compartment rapidly, the fire itself or gases from the fire could have quickly overwhelmed the mother and oldest daughter. It appears that none of the family members died from the impact, and that all died from the fire. The reasons for the fire itself remain unclear, but a review of NHTSA complaints related to the Expedition’s engine compartment reveals dozens of complaints related to engine fires due to spark plug ejections in the Triton engine. It is possible that the faulty spark plug assembly or a similar engine defect may have led to an engine fire after the collision.

Safety Gear

Given the rapidity with which the fire consumed the vehicle, it is likely that no measures save the immediate proximity of a fire truck could have saved everyone in the vehicle. However, the presence of safety equipment such as a Life Hammer might have enabled the father or other bystanders to enter the vehicle, or the mother and oldest children to escape the vehicle. Similarly, a car fire extinguisher might have bought the family valuable seconds with which they might have been able to escape the vehicle.

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The Who:

Date: 2/27/14.
Fatalities: 1.
Who: Sarah Sanaghan, 29.
Injuries: None.

Where: W. Burville Rd. and IL-394 near Crete, IL.
Vehicles: Chevrolet Cruze (2011-2014) and Peterbilt semi-truck with tanker.
Impact Location: Front passenger area.

Human Element: Sarah was a single mother of an 11-year old boy named Elijah. She lost her twin sister, Cari, nearly 18 years earlier in almost exactly the same location due to a hit and run driver, her neighbor, who took 3 lives and was released from prison 1 year later.

The How:

Sarah was driving westbound on Burville Rd. She stopped at the intersection with I-394 and then apparently pulled out in front of the Peterbilt semi that was heading south. The collision occurred at around 5:40 A.M., and Sarah was taken to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead 20 minutes later. The coroner described the cause of death as blunt force head trauma.

The Why:

Risk Factors: Lighter vehicle, late night driving, high speed impact.
Protective Factors: Side airbags.

Vehicle Analysis: The Cruze, classified as a small car by the IIHS, weighs approximately 3158 lbs. A Peterbilt tanker truck can weigh upwards of 58,000 lbs. Statistically, in 98% of car-large truck collisions where there is a fatality, the fatality involves a car passenger, and unfortunately, this was no exception. Although the Cruze had side airbags and a “Good” side impact score and the impact occurred on the opposite side from the driver, the truck likely placed 17.6x more force on the Cruze than that simulated in the side-impact test with a 3300 lb SUV-like barrier. The odds of surviving such an impact in any passenger vehicle would, sadly, be extremely slim. It is unknown whether or not Sarah was wearing a seat belt. It is unclear why Sarah pulled out in front of the semi-, but given the dynamics of the intersection and the time of day, it is possible that she may have been so focused on crossing the four lanes of traffic that she did not notice the oncoming semi in the low visibility conditions.

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The Who:

Date: 1/30/2014, 2:49 PM.
Fatalities: 1. Elizabeth Proctor, 19.
Injuries: Marggo Young, 66 (minor).

Where: Highway 14 by Evansville, WI.
Vehicles: Ford Escort, Chevrolet Impala.
Impact: Passenger side (est.).

Human Element: Elizabeth graduated in 2013 from New Glarus High School and was a Criminal Justice student in Madison College. She was also a mother to an infant daughter, Lyla Keller, and had a boyfriend, Noah Keller.

 The How: Elizabeth was driving on Highway 14, lost control of her vehicle, swerved into the opposite lane of oncoming traffic, and collided with an oncoming Chevrolet Impala. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

The Why:

Risk factors: Poor road conditions, lighter car in collision, lack of side airbags, lack of ESC, lack of ABS.

Protective factors: Youth of driver, seat belt use.

Vehicle analysis: Typically, the occupants of the heavier vehicle in a 2-vehicle collision fare better than those in the lighter vehicle, and this collision was no exception. The Escort, a compact car, weighed ~2538 lbs, while the 2000 Impala, for comparison, weighed ~3448 lbs, or 36% more. This means Elizabeth received 36% greater forces from the start than she would have if she’d collided with another Escort.

Beyond the weight discrepancy, speed was also a factor, although neither vehicle was reported to have been speeding. The IIHS side impact test is at 31 mph, which is considered a severe impact. The collision likely occurred at 55 mph, which meant that Elizabeth probably faced 3.1x the forces at which the IIHS tests side impact collisions. Of course, the Escort did not have side airbags, which made the collision even more severe. The Escort also lacked ABS as a standard feature, which might have helped Elizabeth brake without the wheels locking and increasing the odds of a skid. Finally, ESC could also have saved lives in this collision by enabling her to maintain her intended course of direction in poor road conditions. Sadly, none of these protective elements were present, save for Elizabeth’s seat belt use, which, while excellent, could not overcome the other risk factors she faced.

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Date: 3/5/2014.

Fatalities: 1.
Who: Teagan Kathleen-Jee Nolan, 19 (pictured right from Facebook account).
Injuries: Driver, 56, Male (Van) – Serious Condition. Front Passenger, 63, male (Van) – Minor.

Where: Milton, Wisconsin, at Highway 59 by E. Gould Rd.
Vehicles: 1996 Chevrolet Lumina, 2005 Ford Econoline van.
Seat belts: No (Teagan / Lumina).
Impact location: Passenger side (Lumina).

Summary: Per police reports, Teagan Nolan was driving her 1996 Chevrolet Lumina east and turning at the E. Gould Rd. curve when she lost control and began sliding east into the ditch. She tried to correct, the car spun to the left, entered the oncoming westbound traffic lane, and received a passenger side impact by the westbound Econoline van. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police Identified Factors: Speed, Road Conditions.

The Human Element: Teagan graduated from Milton High School in 2013, and was a Freshman at UW-Whitewater. She was also an Alpha Sigma sorority sister.

Preventative Factors:

Wearing her seat belt would have increased her odds of survival by 45% (IIHS).
Speed is implicated in nearly 1 out of every 3 motor vehicle fatalities (IIHS).

Vehicle Analysis:

The Chevy Lumina, classified as a large car by the IIHS, weighed 3331 lbs and received a “Good” frontal score. However, the impact was a side impact, and the Lumina did not come with any form of side airbag protection, significantly increasing Teagan’s odds of injury. Furthermore, the Lumina did not come with ESC, while ABS was only an optional feature, reducing Teagan’s odds of successfully recovering from a skid at any speed.

The Econoline van likely weighed around 4773 lbs, or 43% more than the Lumina or the 3300 lb SUV-like barrier used in IIHS side-impact tests. The impact speed was likely at least 55 mph, which is much higher than the 31 mph test speed used in the IIHS side test. In other words, she probably faced 3.1x the forces when looking at the speed alone, without even taking the additional mass of the Econoline into account. It is likely she would have faced significant injuries even with a seat belt and head/torso side airbags, but without them, her odds of survival were unfortunately extremely slim.

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.