Last week just out of St. George, a car flipped over a median, leaving the driver remarkably uninjured. The car was driven by a woman in her mid-30s, passing along Snow Canyon Parkway. At about 8:00 am, she started to drift towards the median, causing her to lose control of her vehicle. The car flipped and landed in lanes of oncoming traffic.
Even though she was not wearing a seatbelt, the driver showed no signs of injuries. St. George Police spokesperson Cpt. James Van Fleet said that she was standing, walking, and talking with emergency personnel as they were on the scene.
The photo of the completely rotated car was submitted via ksl.com’s iWitness app. Despite significant damage to the car, especially the rear passenger wheel, the accident was quickly cleaned up, and traffic resumed as normal.
Van Fleet said that no mind-altering substances were a factor in the crash, nor simple distractions like cell phones, “It seems it may just be a little bit of inattention” he said.
The driver received a citation for improper lane travel.
It is really quite astonishing that this woman walked away from an accident of that magnitude unscathed, having not worn a seatbelt. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a seatbelt can reduce the risk of crash injuries by 50%. In a 4-year span, seat belts saved more than 75,000 lives. 49 states, as well as DC have laws that make wearing a seatbelt mandatory.
While she was lucky last week, it is a much better plan to not take the risk! Buckle up, and keep yourself and your family safe.