[var top_story_head]
Road conditions blamed for fatal accident
Published on -12/23/2009, 7:49 AM
Printer-friendly version
E-Mail This Story
Two people from Arkansas were killed Tuesday night after the vehicle they were in spun out of control due to weather conditions on Interstate 70.
Keely Trusell, 23, and Brandon Trusell, 25, Fort Smith, Ark., were eastbound on I-70 just east of the intersection of Kansas Highway 25 in Thomas County at about 8:45 p.m. Tuesday when their 2000 Toyota 4Runner spun out of control and crossed the median into westbound traffic. The vehicle was struck on the passenger side by a tractor-trailer, according to a Kansas Highway Patrol report.
Another accident involving three vehicles in Thomas County Tuesday sent five people to Citizens Medical Center in Colby with possible injuries.
Alan Covell, 34, Copperas Cove, Texas, was westbound on I-70 about 1 mile east of Colby at about 7:40 p.m. Tuesday when he lost control of a 2005 Dodge pickup due to the weather conditions. His vehicle went across the median into eastbound traffic hitting one vehicle on the side and another head on, according to the KHP report.
All seven occupants of the vehicles were restrained, including a 4- and 5-year old in Covell’s vehicle.
In Russell County, a Hays woman was transported to the hospital following an accident on I-70 at about 11:30 p.m. Tuesday.
Stephanie Whittington, 42, was westbound on I-70 west of Russell when she attempted to change from the left lane to the right lane and lost control of her car on the icy roadway, according to a KHP report. The vehicle entered the ditch, rolled at least once and came to rest on the driver’s side facing northwest.
Whittington was wearing a seat belt. She was taken to Russell Regional Hospital with possible injuries.
1 comment(s) found
losss of control accidents:
12/23/2009During adverse conditions that can often be noticed that it is the rear of a vehicle that loses traction first.
What the average person and some experts are not aware of is that there can be as high as 950 pounds or more weight on the front axle of their vehicle than the back. So a car that feels like a limousine on the front holds like a golf cart on the back
A 3000lb car with a weight ratio of 65% front weight and 35% rear weight will weigh 1950lb on the front and 1050 on the rear. After you use 10 gallon of fuel from the rear tank one of the front wheels has as much traction as both rear combined.
If you analyze single vehicle accidents you will find most of them had better tires on the front than the back or a very large weight difference. In fact the worst balanced cars have 4 times as many fatalities as cars designed with better balance. How are you going to tell how fast is too fast under these conditions when it is possible for a balanced car to handle fine on a slippery surface at 50 mph and an unbalanced car to lose control at 20 mph and both to feel the same to the drivers.
There are some good videos on the Internet showing how important the rear tires of a vehicle are. Also the Society of Automotive Engineers paper 2002-01-0553 shows any decrease of tread depth from new of the rear tires can contribute to an accident.
(Posted by: Harvey)
COMMENT ON THIS STORY
All comments are subject to approval before being posted. Please keep comments constructive and relevant. Opinions certainly can be expressed, but comments that are rude, abusive, slanderous, threatening, sexually oriented, contain profanity or are vulgar will not be tolerated. Comments will not be edited. Any comment that violates the above-listed rules will be deleted.
