Local Kid Dies in Accident... Hear What the Non-Enthusiast Public Has To Say

[traumadog]

It's amazing to see what the general public says about crashes such as these (and they're not "accidents, in my view, as "accidents" implies nothing can be done to prevent them).

We've had 8 teenagers die in a one-month span.  Five of them you probably have heard of - the 5 cheerleaders who crashed head-on into a tractor-trailer here in NY.  They made CNN, and even got a spot in People.  Conversely, the other three were in similar circumstances - rolled a car in a single-car crash late at night.  Since they weren't freshly-graduated cheerleaders (just juniors after their prom), and it was a single-car crash (e.g. some misbehahvior - drugs, speeding, etc - must have happened) they got MUCH less press.

So I definitely think there's a stereotype out there as to who crashes and why.

[sportyaccordy]

Single car accident; straight four lane road; 4.15am; young male driver?

Context and experience tells me that it's at least a 99% chance that he was doing at least one of those things (or something of that ilk).

Or he might have been on his way home from a 12-18 hour shift at work? But of course your answer to that is 'well he should have got a better job then'

*EDIT* I didn't even see Dan's post about the follow up when I made this one... so much for your 99% theory

[Eye of the Tiger]

Your theories are all wrong. What actually happened was some extra terrestral beings beamed up his car to their flying saucer, and when they were done probing, they beamed him down with the car still running, but he was not yet coherent enough to drive it, therefore causing it to fly of the road.

[Raza]

Your theories are all wrong. What actually happened was some extra terrestral beings beamed up his car to their flying saucer, and when they were done probing, they beamed him down with the car still running, but he was not yet coherent enough to drive it, therefore causing it to fly of the road.

I heard the same thing.

[GoCougs]

Or he might have been on his way home from a 12-18 hour shift at work? But of course your answer to that is 'well he should have got a better job then'

*EDIT* I didn't even see Dan's post about the follow up when I made this one... so much for your 99% theory

Per said update My 99% theory is 100% correct - until someone brings it upon themselves to do further research when the accident investigation results are known (and if they're ever made public), that is.

UPDATE: It appears there wasn't alcohol or drugs involved.

2 young drivers killed in accidents
Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 07/10/07
BY KATHLEEN HOPKINS
TOMS RIVER BUREAU

Speed was "most likely" a factor in the Parkway accident, based on the amount of damage to Manna's car, said Sgt. Andrew Randik of the Bass River station of the State Police.

However, had speed not been the presently accepted cause, your premise that the driver fell asleep is little removed from street racing or DUI - and certainly falls within my 99% rule that two people killed in a single car accident is almost always at the hands of negligent, wreckless or intentional action by the driver.

[NomisR]

Well, for 99% of all motor vehicle accidents, speed was involved... the only type that doesn't involve speed are the ones wehre you have a tree fall on a car...  if it's moving, there's speed... LETS PREVENT ALL CARS FROM MOVING!!!  That way there would be no accidents involving speed.. at all!!!

[565]

Five of them you probably have heard of - the 5 cheerleaders who crashed head-on into a tractor-trailer here in NY.? So I definitely think there's a stereotype out there as to who crashes and why.

Alot of young people in one car is always a bad thing.  I remember in my highschool and college days we all crammed into a single car and it was an absolute zoo.  People throwing things around, loud talking, random making out in the back seat or the front seat.  When I was the driver I had a hard time paying attention to the road.  Also we tended to do just absolutely stupid things when alot of friends got together.  One of my friends decided to drive around at night with the headlights off and then flick them on at the last minute when passing an oncoming car to "scare the crap out of them."  There was some statistic that said the risk triples with each additional passenger.

When I get a kid who reaches driving age,  I'm ripping out all the seats except the drivers seat. 

[etypeJohn]

However, had speed not been the presently accepted cause, your premise that the driver fell asleep is little removed from street racing or DUI - and certainly falls within my 99% rule that two people killed in a single car accident is almost always at the hands of negligent, wreckless or intentional action by the driver.

negligent, wreckless or intentional action

Well that covers everything, so why isn't it 100%?

[GoCougs]

negligent, wreckless or intentional action

Well that covers everything, so why isn't it 100%?

Oh, come now. You've got a bit of imagination left, haven't you?

http://policelink.com/news/articles/2400-falling-tree-kills-deputy-in-funeral-procession

[Raza]

Alot of young people in one car is always a bad thing.? I remember in my highschool and college days we all crammed into a single car and it was an absolute zoo.? People throwing things around, loud talking, random making out in the back seat or the front seat.? When I was the driver I had a hard time paying attention to the road.? Also we tended to do just absolutely stupid things when alot of friends got together.? One of my friends decided to drive around at night with the headlights off and then flick them on at the last minute when passing an oncoming car to "scare the crap out of them."? There was some statistic that said the risk triples with each additional passenger.

When I get a kid who reaches driving age,? I'm ripping out all the seats except the drivers seat.?

Why are you randomly acquiring children!?

Anyway, things weren't like that in my car, but I rarely took more than two passengers. 

[Raza]

Oh, come now. You've got a bit of imagination left, haven't you?

http://policelink.com/news/articles/2400-falling-tree-kills-deputy-in-funeral-procession

That's quite negligent on the part of the tree.  Or intentional.

[etypeJohn]

Oh, come now. You've got a bit of imagination left, haven't you?

http://policelink.com/news/articles/2400-falling-tree-kills-deputy-in-funeral-procession

I could argue that anything that was not intentional could fall into negligent or wreckless categories.  That includes getting a hummer or any kind of grab ass that might be going on in the front seat.   

[GoCougs]

Oh, come now. You've got a bit of imagination left, haven't you?

http://policelink.com/news/articles/2400-falling-tree-kills-deputy-in-funeral-procession

I could argue that anything that was not intentional could fall into negligent or wreckless categories.? That includes getting a hummer or any kind of grab ass that might be going on in the front seat.? ?

<crickets>