This is why you don't drink and drive

[Sir Galahad]

Just came back from a trip to Phoenix. Driving on I-17. We saw an accident I really wish we didn't see. I'm not going to preach here, well, maybe a litle, but bear with me. This accident happened on the southbound side of I-17 on the grade a few miles down from the Crown King-Bumblebee cutoff. We saw a Nissan Pathfinder, must have been doing at least 100 mph literall drive along the SIDE of an steep-cut embankment, up about 20 feet and roll. When it started rolling over down the embankment, a male passenger was ejected from the vehicle at this height and flew a good ten feet, hit, and started rolling on the pavement. You know, you see a vehicle do this and see a human being fly out of a vehicle and hit pavement, your mind is saying, "No way! That guy didn't just do that! That's impossible!" It IS possible. We stopped, wife grabbed blankets and first aid supplies and I grabbed fire extinguisher and we rushed over. We were in the northbound I-17, so we crossed over to the other side. When we got there, the male was already convulsing. I you've seen people dying, you know what I'm talking about. This kid (he was a kid) was lucky this day, though maybe not later. There happened to be a doctor and two medical students n scene. They couldn't find a pulse. He wasn't breathing. Meanwhile, some other folks cut the driver out. This was the kid's sister. She immediately went over to her brother as they were trying to revive him with CPR and mouth-to-mouth. I'll never forget this. She was screaming over and over, no, he's my brother, he CAN'T be dead!!! My wife covered his lower body with the blankets from our Jeep. I stood by with fire extinguisher by the overturned vehicle. Gasoline was leaking out from the carburetor. Then the girl starts asking where is her cousin. No one saw anyone else. So, everyone scrambled and got up a search party to search the meridian and surrounding area to see if he was flung out of the vehicle. No one found anyone. If there was a person, that person was under the vehicle. Meanwhile, the doctor managed to resuscitate the kid. Saved this kid's life. He'd of died had this doctor not been there. This was a desert area. It took the nearest ambulance several minutes to arrive. But you know what you could smell above the leaking gasoline? Alcohol. There was beer strewn all over the highway. Open cans of beer throughout, a couple 12 packs in the passenger compartment, bottles all over the deck. This accident didn't have to happen. The kid had a massive head injury. He may not make it, he may have severe brain damage. The sister will have to live with the fact that she was the driver. Her brother is 19. We heard at a gas station later that they were calling in dogs to search for the missing cousin.

Folks, this is a horrible thing to see. There are lessons we can learn. First is, don't drink and drive. Yes, it CAN happen to you. What these people did was try to pass a slow semi-tractor on the shoulder and were going so fast, they went up the embankment. It CAN happen to you. Second, wear your seatbelt. In a wreck, you WILL be flung out of the car. Trust me on this people, the human skull does not do well hitting paved surfaces.

So you wear your seatbelt and drive sober. Excellent. Now, among your vehicle somewhere, keep a first aid kit, blankets, and a fire extinguisher. You may be IT to save a life. Keep a sharp knife to cut seatbelts if need be. Being prepared to help not only yourself, but others. Everyone there stopped and pitched in to help search for the cousin.

Moderators, I hope this post is not out of line here. I just want to mention this to all the folks as something to consider. Thank you.

 

[HBK]

Was the girl drunk or maybe a designated driver? (He asks hopefully)


Way to go with the helping out. I know you would say you just did what anyone would do, but you'd be surprised how many people would just drive by and do nothing.

 

[Sir Galahad]

There were several open containers in the vehicle. Arizona is a great state in lots of ways. Folks were stopping even on the northbound side to help. People getting up search parties to look for the missing cousin. People praying for the kid. People stopped and saved this kid's life. You see something like that, you feel good about the human race. You feel good about yourself that you stopped to help, too. You feel good about covering this poor kid with your blanket. But it never was about feeling good. It's about stopping to help someone who needs help because that's a human being laying there who needs help.

 

[rock jock]

Good post and a sober reminder (no pun intended). Not much you can say except at least they didn't kill any innocents in another vehicle. If they had, my sentiments towards this girl would be one of rage, rather than sympathy.

 

[Sir Galahad]

It was actually a minor miracle the vehicle didn't hit anyone else on it's way down and across the road. And another miracle the kid wasn't hit by a car after being ejected. He came to rest in the passing lane. The vehicle behind the rollover was the tractor-trailer the rollover was trying to pass on the shoulder. That driver was GOOD to be able to stop his rig so fast. In many cases, in rollovers, the ejected person is flung out and the vehicle rolls on top of them. This kid was lucky this didn't happen to him. This is why seatbelts are a VERY smart thing to wear. I still can't believe seeing this. The mind just can't get around seeing a person ejected like this kid was. Folks, wear your seatbelts.

 

[jimpeel]

Where were the "first responders" when the real first responders were saving this kid's life. Oh, what's that? Do I hear sirens far in the distance?

The new PC designation for emergency personnel makes me puke. The real first responders are the common everyday people like you and me who take charge in a crisis until the second responders finally get there and tell us to get out of the way.

I'm no EMT but I know better than basic first aid and have saved at least two people in my time on this Earth and comforted and treated many more.

It isn't always an accident you have to be keen to treat. I saved a person who was down and nearly dead of heat stroke when everyone else standing there didn't put two and two together. Knowing enough to simply stick your hand in their armpit to see if its wet or dry can make all the difference to their survival.

Your actions in the first few seconds may well depend on the difference between life and death so if you don't know what to do, get out of the way and let someone take over who does. Everyone should at least go to the library and read a book on basic first aid so that even if they are in a situation where they have to guess what to do they at least have something in their memory banks to draw on.

Sounds like you did everything right for your situation, Sir Galahad.

 

[Giant]

Good on you for helping to save a life. The people in the roll over probably were drinking, as evidenced by the open containers. Possible too the large number of open cans was caused by impact. Seat belts, yes! Good idea on a knife to cut belts with. Knife might be needed to cut off clothing to get at a bleeding wound. Anyway, lots of people would have just driven on by. You stopped and did what needed to be done.


Giant

 

[erikm]

Interesting story. I hope the car's driver ends up in the clink for either dangerous driving, DWI or both.

This story is also a 'poster example' why I:
- will only drive a bicycle while intoxicated.
- don't drink enough to become more than mildly buzzed.
- buckle up in a car if possible
- refuse to drive a car unless all passengers buckle up

cheers,
ErikM

 

[El Tejon]

Good work, sir! You did the right thing by helping and by talking about it.

 

[Betty]

Good work, Sir Galahad.

I once knew a man who walked a little strangely. I found out that he had no legs from the knees on down. He and his brother decided to have a few beers while he was driving. They crashed, he ended up with severed legs, and his brother was killed. He'll remember that every time he straps on his new legs.

My father's former employee decided to drink and drive with a bunch of teenagers in the back of his pickup. One of the girls was left paralyzed from the waist down after that incident.

When I was in grade school, my school bus fell silent and we watched as my neighbor was being zipped up in a big black plastic baggie. His car was imbedded in a tree with a big hole in the windshield where his head went through. He had been drinking.

A drunk man didn't look both ways before crossing the street while my friend was driving down the road. He was killed instantly and my friend is too traumatized to drive anymore.

Another man decided to drink and walk out on front of my pickup. I was going 20-25 mph, struck him with the front right corner of my Sonoma, he caught his arm on my antenna, spun 360, and landed face down, unconscious. He suffered broken bones and a head injury, and failed at trying to sue me. He is 53 years old, never moved out his mother's home, and works only to earn enough beer money.

 

[4v50 Gary]

Thank you for your public service message.

Your title is honorific but your heart is pure. You are indeed Sir Galahad.

 

[Big_R]

I believe this also illustrates the need for everyone, yes everyone, to get some type of medical training. Basic first aid/CPR can be a lifesaver. I took a first responder course in 1994 and have used that knowledge more times than I care to think about. It's cheap insurance.

Ryan

 

[TheeBadOne]

Sir Galahad Damn credible posts sir.

 

[veloce851]

Unfortunately it takes a tragic event like this to shine a light on the true hero and heroins that live among us.

Ok since no one else asked. Any word on the cousin? Did they ever find them?

 

[Pilgrim]

After being saved from his and her stupidity, do you think they (brother and sister) have learned their lesson?

Pilgrim

 

[Sir Galahad]

Update

Turns out they were so wasted, they accidently left the cousin behind at a rest area, which is what the wife and I thought. Evidently, the sister was critically injured also. With some drugs or even just amped up on alcohol and adrenalin, these things don't readily show. Must have ben a head injury also. Both had to be airlifted by medevac chopper and both are in critical condition.

The real heroes were the off-duty doctor and nurse on scene. They saved that kid's life. I saw it. Had that doctor not been there right at that precise moment in that exact place, that kid would be dead. Lots of folks got out of their cars to pray for that kid. Everyone helped. I figure that's what being an American is all about. Everyone helping each other out.

 

[veloce851]

God was looking out for the cousin. I'll bet he's thanking his lucky stars they left him behind.
Not that he's happy his cousins were hurt.

I was lucky and learned my lesson when I was 16...got pulled over when I was smashed. The LEOs called the rents to come get me and the car.
I wasn't lucky that nothing happened... I was lucky I didn't hurt anyone including myself.

I do remember the most sickening moment of my life...
a few months before my incident
I went to a party with a new friend that was out in the boonies...
the party was winding down and people were beginning to leave,
the house was located about an 1/8 mile from the main road (55mph road) and you could see the road from the side of the house.. we were standing there talking and happened to watch a car leaving the party.. it drove to the main road and turned onto it... in about 2 seconds I witnessed the worst head-on collision I've ever seen. I felt sick because I and everyone there did nothing we just stood there like stumps as we saw it happened and watched a few cars that eventually came by stop and help them out. I think back and know I should have bolted across that field and done whatever I could have done. 3 people died that night. It will weigh on my conscience for life.
Never again will I be just be a spectator to someone elses tragic demise.

 

[bad_dad_brad]

Grim.

I have seen the like with a couple of Harley drivers. Weaving, over the hill, and I tell my wife - they are going to crash. Several mile later in a heap of broken bones - there they are.

Drinking and driving is not always the problem. Drunk and driving is for sure. Still - I have seen such horrific accidents (I travel a lot) with sober drivers as well - especially with semi-trucks involved. Falling a sleep at the wheel is a real killer, and often overlooked.

Sir Galahad - sorry you had to witness this - but I know how you feel - as I have seen it as well.