Posted on 03/19/2006 6:36:26 PM PST by Coleus
The Flushing YMCA said four people were killed in an accident on the New York State Thruway at 7 a.m. en route to a swimming meet in Buffalo, N.Y.
The victims included a 47-year-old woman, her two sons and a 14-year-old girl, who died when a tanker truck slammed into their minivan, New York 1 reported. Two other passengers in the vehicle were removed from the battered minivan and taken to a local area hospital, New York 1 reported. In addition, the driver of the tanker truck was taken to the hospital, according to New York 1. Neither the Flushing Y, which said the minivan was traveling to a YMCA-sponsored competition, nor New York state troopers said they had the names of the victims.
The Flushing Y has a swim team named the Flushing Flyers. The entire YMCA family is devastated by this tragic and unspeakable loss of life, said Jack Lund, president and CEO of the YMCA of Greater New York in Flushing. Members of our executive staff and grief counselors are en route to Buffalo and will be on site throughout the weekend to console and help anyone who needs their assistance.
Police said the minivan was hit by the tanker when the driver stopped to check on a faulty tire, New York 1 reported. Police told the station that they did not understand why the driver pulled over in the righthand lane of the road to check the tire.
According to a New York state trooper, the accident took place at 7 a.m. near Harriman, N.Y. AM New York said the crash occurred about two miles south of Exit 16 on the thruway near the Woodbury toll barrier, which is about 50 miles away from New York City. The two northbound lanes were closed after the accident, resulting in a four-mile traffic backup, but opened several hours later, AM New York reported.
Note to soccer moms and minivan drivers: it's very dangerous to stop your car on a highway lane to check on your flat tire. It's much more safe and purdent to pull onto the shoulder or to put your flashers on and drive to the nearest exit.
She didn't pull over to the side but stopped in the middle of the road??? Prayers for the kids, but she was a total idiot.
18 Wheelers are a lot like trains.
They just dont stop that fast and if you do something stupid!
Since it was a tanker it could have been a LOT worse.
Good that the truck driver was able to keep a handle on it.
From what I can discern from the article the car just pulled over in front of the truck and stopped.
My son drives 18 wheelers, coast to coast.
You wouldnt even beleive some of the stories he tells about stuff like this.
You have no knowledge of which you speak. None.
Have you read the police report? No.
Have you driven a tractor propelling tons of weight? No.
Having said that, may God be with those that perished, with the driver of the tractor and his family.
the mother stopped and parked her car on a highway lane and did not pull over to the shoulder, it's impossible for any drive to judge that a car is stopped in a lane, let alone, stop in time.
Every time you tailgate someone you risk killing them.
Not only that.
You cant just slam the brakes on in a big truck.
You will jack knife and have the trailer wrapping around your ears.
Tankers are especially bad, fires. explosions etc.
Sounds like the truck driver did an excellent job in keeping the incident from getting much worse.
I wonder who reported the tire or if that's just a theory. The car could have just died. (Sorry. I can't think of another word)
there are something called blind spots too: curves, the other side of the apex of a hill, etc. there was no tail gaiting involved. this lady was stopped on a highway lane, the tanker was far away. did you read the other linked articles. I suggest you read "His warning never heard" there was NO tailgaiting involved.
Most people, even professional drivers habitually tailgate. Playing the odds.
from the articles I linked:
"She just got a flat tire in the left rear. She got out to look at it," Trooper Joseph Csanko said, citing witness statements. "She got back in the vehicle when the tractor-trailer struck the vehicle."
Point to a reference in the news article regarding "tailgating."
Again, and for the last time, you've no knowledge of what you speak.
Have you ever pulled over by the side of the road on a thruway or express way? It's very scary, the cars are going so fast. You're just seconds away from death. It's crazy to stop there. Go to the next exit or reststop if you can.
He hit her from the rear. That's all the insurance companies need to hear.
We have a new law , requiring you to move to the left lane or slow down if a cruiser on the shoulder. It's really bad. LE talk to drivers thru the passenger windows.
It's just not always possible to keep the correct distance around here. You can have the needed space and other drivers will pull in and often slow down or even hit their brakes.
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