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Accident on 28 yesterday?

Discussion in 'Broadlands Community Issues' started by christinaandrob, Jun 13, 2004.

  1. christinaandrob

    christinaandrob New Member

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    Does anyone know what happened in the accident near 28 and Waxpool yesterday afternoon around 4pm? It was at the intersection near the Carmax and Ferrari dealership (Commercial Rd?). We were stuck there for almost an hour while they landed a Medivac helicopter on 28 southbound.
     
  2. doberman

    doberman New Member

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    I don't know anything about that accident, but I'm not surprised. I take Commercial Drive there home everyday from work, and it can be scary. I've had people pull out of CarMax right in front of me without seeing me coming, and had to swerve around them leaving several feet of rubber on the road. And, people routinely pass me on Commercial going easily 60 mph. I've always thought that it was just a matter of time before a scene like the one you described. Unfortunately it'll get worse with the Waxpool construction.
     
  3. MJD

    MJD New Member

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    I drove through there just before they closed 28 for the medivac. The only thing I could see was some sort of SUV upside down in the middle of the 28 intersection. The paramedics were on the shoulder working on someone. Looked pretty serious.
     
  4. afgm

    afgm Ashburn Farm Resident

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    Pasted from Loudoun County Alert service:

    Loudoun County, Virginia- A single vehicle accident Saturday has taken
    the life of a Falls Church woman and injured three others.

    Sandra Lentz, 49, was heading northbound on Route 28 approaching
    Commercial Drive shortly after 3:30 p.m. when according to witnesses she
    attempted to merge into the center lane. Witnesses say there was a
    vehicle in the lane she was trying to merge with and the 1999 Ford Explorer
    Lentz was driving appeared to overcorrect causing the vehicle to roll
    several times.

    Lentz, who was wearing a seatbelt, was pronounced dead at the scene.

    A 13-year-old rear seat passenger who was not wearing a seatbelt was
    thrown from the vehicle in the accident. She was airlifted to Inova
    Fairfax Hospital where she is being treated for serious but non-life
    threatening injuries.

    A 19-year-old male passenger, who was seated in the front seat, and
    another 13-year-old rear seat passenger were both taken to Loudoun
    Hospital with minor injuries. The 19-year-old was wearing a seatbelt but the
    13-year-old was not.

    This weekend's accident marks the 13th fatality on Loudoun's roadways
    this year. During the same time period last year there were nine
    fatalities.
     
  5. christinaandrob

    christinaandrob New Member

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    Thanks for sending this on.
     
  6. kholbert

    kholbert Member

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    I arrived at that intersection at about 4PM on my way to the Costco area. No traffic was being permitted north of Commercial Dr. so I ended up going around the block to Wegmanns (My first time there, nice store, really liked the model choo choo;)) I saw the overturned Explorer on the northbound lanes of 28.

    Today I heard a radio ad for the H2, THE most offensive, wasteful, impractical (but safe?) truck-based SUV sold. The ad tells the tale of a guy who was afraid of everything but now that he owns a H2 is nearly invincible.:( These ads appeal to somebody or else they wouldn't make them. That ad and the recent SUV/Pickup truck fatal accidents made me want to rant.

    Warning: Rant about unsafe and inefficient SUV's to follow.

    Truck based SUV's kill.[V] SUV's have higher centers of gravity which cause them to flip over more easily when attempting a sudden accident avoidance manuver (as the woman who died on 28 attempted) Ford, GM, Mitsubishi and many other truck manufacturers have know this for decades yet only recently have put warnings on the sun visors for unknowing drivers.

    Many people buy SUV's under the false pretense that they are a safer choice. Most SUV owners have no intention of going off road or towing anything. Because they are heavier than similar passenger/cargo volume cars/vans, they have longer braking distances. Their on/off road tires have poorer onroad grip. All of these factors add up to a vehicle that should NOT be driven to avoid obstacles but should be steered straight into the obstacle while applying brakes. Thus causing an accident at the expense of the car/van/SUV, pedestrian (animal), or motorcyclist obstacle. The sudden lane change accident avoidance manuever some of us learned during drivers ed will get you killed in a truck-based SUV.

    "I like the up-high seating position. I can see over traffic and identify obstacles sooner". Not if you are behind another SUV. Their greater size reduces visability for all other motorist increasing the chances for accidents and making the roads less safe for all drivers include those who own SUVS"

    "I need the extra space or 7 passenger capacity" Both can be had in a safer handling van or wagon. Most vans give you the same high seating position as a SUV. All with better fuel economy.

    My rant is about the choices we make about the vehicles we drive. I understand that many think you are what you drive. With the exception of owners who tow trailers/RVs or other heavy duty application, do truck-based SUV owners really appear?:
    -Active Outdoors
    -Sporty, Hip, Cool
    -Powerful, Versatile

    Or are they simply oblivious to the safey and environmental hazards of SUV ownership.:( [?] One good thing about the high gas prices is its caused many SUV owners to trade-in their gas-guzzlers for more efficient (and safer) vehicles. American car manufacturers like to make big vehicles like SUV's because they are easier to assemble and are very profitable. No sooner did the Energy Crisis of the late 70's reduce the demand for big, inefficent cars did they start marketing the SUV to replace profits lost.

    We recently had a Ford Explorer lent to us for a couple of weeks. It did everything my VW Wagon did (Depot, Costco, Soccer practice, commute) but with a harsh ride, twice as much gas, tipsy, vague handling and a poor fitting/quality interior. Once, we used the 3rd row of seats to take some neighbors to a movie but they wished they had taken their own car since the ride was so uncomfortable.

    There are safer/more efficient choices today as manufactures make more car based SUVS/Crossovers and wagons/vans. Dont forget that seatbelts save lives and reduce accident injuries.

    Ok, Ok, rant over. Resume your suburban lives, citizens.[^][/
     
  7. brim

    brim Member

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    I agree on all points. Anohter thing is parking lots, how many times have you came out of the mall/grocery store/anywhere and found yourself parked between two SUVs (or minivans)? You get in and back out slowly because you can't see around the monstrositys, then almost get the tail of your car knocked off by someone you couldn't see due to the blocked view...then they have the nerve to give you dirty looks. I hate suv's...I'll keep my VW. :)

    You mention truck based SUVs, what about car based SUVs? As much as I hate SUVs, I really like the Nissan Murano and Infiniti FX35...both based on a car chassis.
     
  8. T8erman

    T8erman Well-Known Member

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    I love SUV's -
    RANT ON
    drive what you want and don't preach to others about what they should drive.
    RANT OFF

    It is "most" often the drivers skill or lack thereof that causes accidents, not the vehicle one drives.


    Don't forget that wearing seatbelts is the law.
     
  9. neilz

    neilz New Member

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    Not quite true .. both the Center for Automotive Safety, and the Dept of Transportation have done studies that show due to the high center of gravity inherent to larger SUVs, they are more likely to tip when performing a hazard avoidence maneuver.

    In other words, even Mario Andretti could roll one of these suckers !!


    Neil Z.
    Resident since 1999
     
  10. Pats_fan

    Pats_fan Former Resident

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    And the driver who was killed was wearing hers.
     
  11. T8erman

    T8erman Well-Known Member

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    I understand completely that SUVs have a higher center of gravity as well as significant other differences from "cars". The driver needs to account for this in the "actions" they take.

    First, by understanding the limitations of the vehicle they are driving.

    Second, by not putting themselves in certain situations. In this case it appears the driver was completely at fault.

     
  12. Pats_fan

    Pats_fan Former Resident

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    T8erman,
    I agree completely with your comments, however, I don't think they change the fact that these SUV's are inherently</u> more dangerous than "regular" cars. We are taught (or at least should be taught) collision avoidance maneuvers from early on (as beginning drivers). And these maneuvers, even if perfectly executed, will nevertheless result in rollovers of SUV's in many cases.

    The instinct to "cut the wheel" to avoid a collision is just that: an instinct</u>. Most people cannot control this instinct, it is just human nature. SUV manufacturers most certainly are aware of this fact, yet they continue to put automobiles on the road with full knowledge of an uncorrected design defect. I say they have a design defect because they are not designed to prevent rollover in a well-known and likely use by a driver: a collision avoidance maneuver.

    People are responsible for their actions, but SUV manufacturers are also responsible for the defective products that they put on the road.

    Edit: And if someone wants to kill themselves by rolling a defective Ford Explorer, all the power to them. However, I take issue if they do it in my path and put my family's life in jeopardy as well. This is a public safety issue. Car manufacturers won't fix their product because SUV's make them too much money, and the only corrective mechanism currently available (the threat/existence of multi-million dollar lawsuits) obviously has not deterred them. In a situation where business cannot (or won't) protect the public, it becomes the government's duty to step in and do so.
     
  13. southernwalkres

    southernwalkres New Member

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    I would have to agree that it seems like lack of driving skill is the main cause of many accidents (not to mention traffic jams) in this area. Mixing terrible drivers with unsafe SUVs is a dangerous combination.

    Slow traffic keep right! ;)
     
  14. volvo_nut

    volvo_nut New Member

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    Since I own an SUV, my 1/2 cent

    My wife and I looked at many SUVs and felt the 2003 Volvo XC90 was the "safest" choice. No one can deny physics and a higher center of gravity (SUV) is more likely to tip than a lower (car). Volvo has a stability control system specifically to limit rollovers, the first of its kind in an SUV. Ford, owner of Volvo, is now putting this technology into its larger 2005 SUVs. But on the chance that one happens to roll their XC90, it is built with a Boron steel roll cage and after watching the video of the XC90 being rolled multiple times without intrusion into the passenger cabin, we were convinced that this particular SUV offered superior "safety" than the Acura, Lexus or others we were considering. No, this does not mean a Volvo is invincible but it does help when our instincts over react to a situtation. Don't take my word on this subject, go drive a Volvo XC90, read the reviews and compare it to other SUVs -- no I won't say it is the best SUV but I do believe it offers the most safety technology (or did in 2003 when we purchased.)
     
  15. Pats_fan

    Pats_fan Former Resident

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    I guess I should clarify my earlier comments. I do not think that my comments apply to ALL SUV's and SUV manufacturers. Clearly, there are companies (like Volvo) who "work" harder than others to satisfy the public's desire for SUV's while also maximizing the safety of their vehicles. I think companies like Volvo are few and far between, however.

    And in the interest of full disclosure, I own a 2004 Honda CR-V. It is based on a car chassis, and has a lower center of gravity than full-size SUV's. I suffer from no delusions that it is as safe as a regular automobile, but it is my understanding that it is safer than most full-size SUV's. When making my purchasing decision, I did my best to balance my need for storage with my desire to have a fuel efficient and cost effective vehicle. I would have preferred a minivan, but, unfortunately, at the time they were out of my price range.

    Frankly, safety aside, I will not even consider purchasing a full size SUV until they make one that can crack the 20MPG barrier. But, since the auto industry is in the hip pocket of just about everyone inside the Beltway (GOP and Democrat alike), I don't think we'll ever see this day.
     

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