Single-Vehicle Accident Injures Two in Cole County

Two persons were injured in a one-vehicle accident in Cole County on the evening of Monday, December 28th. A 20-year-old male from the Russellville area went off of the roadway near the intersection of Route D and Vaughn Ford Road just before 7:00 p.m. The vehicle, a 1998 Chevrolet Cavalier, then reportedly hit a tree located beside the roadway. Both the driver and the vehicle’s sole passenger, a 20-year-old male from Stover, sustained serious injuries and were transported from the scene of the accident via ambulance to Capital Region Hospital in Jefferson City. The driver of the vehicle was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the accident.

It is common for drivers to strike objects like trees after having veered off of the roadway. Below are some guidelines for minimizing the risk of accidents involving running off of the road:

  • Obey the speed limit and all other traffic laws.
  • Decelerate if the conditions warrant doing so.
  • Maintain awareness of other vehicles on the roadway at all times.
  • Look ahead on the roadway for any potential hazards, such as debris or animals.
  • Do not text or perform any other tasks that could be distracting while driving.
  • Avoid driving when fatigued or when under the influence of any alcohol or any medications that could affect cognitive ability.

Additionally, wearing a seat belt while driving or riding in a vehicle is imperative. Injuries incurred when involved in motor vehicle accidents are statistically much less severe when the injured party was wearing a seat belt. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that the risk of being killed in a motor vehicle accident is lowered by approximately 50%.

 

Citations

http://www.mshp.dps.mo.gov/MSHPWeb/SAC/pdf/missouri2011TrafficSafetyCompendium.pdf

http://www.iihs.org/iihs/topics/t/roadway-and-environment/fatlityfacts/fixed-aobject-crashes/2013

http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811232.pdf

https://www.mshp.dps.missouri.gov/HP68/AccidentDetailsAction?ACC_RPT_NUM=150799391

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