So, pretty sure that your mad driving skills will keep you and yours safe from accidents? I mean, you're a smart driver, you always pay attention, etc.? See if you would have seen this coming, and been able to do more than just yell "Mommy!"
I'm not one of those big believers that I can drive my way to safety. Sure, I've done it before many times, but you know one of the common points in all of my crashes to date (I'd had just a few), other than they were pretty much all self-inflicted? Those would be the instances that I didn't just drive out, and instead did the rigor mortise maneuver. Very effective, as you might expect.
Steve said about 2 hours later
No one is able to avoid every accident. That's why they are accidents. Not sure how Parsla could have avoided having an unseen tornado pick up the semi truck that was alongside her and drop it on her.
That said, a good ATTENTIVE driver can avoid many accidents. You need to be both a good driver and an attentive driver. Something 99% of the people in this country are not, and the other 1% are not ALWAYS attentive drivers. I myself will admit to having been a little too inattentive while driving and talking on the cell phone. Fortunately, I am at least smart enough to not talk on the phone when driving is slightly difficult or worse (heavy traffic, rain, snow).
GJ said about 4 hours later
Yeah, I don't exactly plan for Twister movie effects while I'm driving, but hey, statistically, Parsla probably won't have another run in with a semi-belching tornado in her lifetime. If she does, she might want to give some thought to playing the lottery. :)
But to your point, yes, Americans are getting really bad at this paying attention thing. Too many distractions today--be it yapping on the cell, swapping out your kid's DVD and fast forwarding past the ads, eating (well, that's nothing new), and simply just doing too much thinking while driving. I wish I had a Lincoln for every cell talker I've seen drift, weave, and stop on a dime when they snap to attention and say "oh crap there's my turn" three lanes across from their exit or turn with maybe 20 feet to spare.
Btw, no fatalities in this wreck, but both parties got lucky that the other driver got slowed down so much by the divider.
Abby said about 5 hours later
....don't forget texting. I still don't see how it's so important that people must text and drive, but, then again, they've strengthened the rules and punishments on cell use at school and people are /still/ using their phones in class.
Geoff said about 6 hours later
Now that is some video footage! I think you've all covered anything I may have had to add.
What in the world was that person doing donuts in the middle of the highway for?
GJ said about 18 hours later
They were probably yapping on a phone and "Holy crap, there's a turn" and over-corrected, big-time. At least, that's what I'd guess based on my untrained eye--you can definitely see the whip/snap in the oncoming vehicle just as it arrives in the opposite lane.
