Mopars Can Save Your Life

by Phillip R. Massie

The subject line of this letter may sound a little amusing but I can assure you that last Friday was by _NO_ means "amusing!" By the end ofthe evening I found myself counting the blessing I was driving my Mopar ('97 ACR Neon) rather than the beat up '81 Toyota pickup like I usually drive to my parent's house.

Just got of work and was one my way through SE Ohio, heading towards Kentucky, traveling several short sections of "country" back roads (small 2 laners, 55mph with occassional 35mph curves). As I am heading down one of these roads I pass a car coming out of a drive which has seemingly dim headlights. I continue to run 50-55 (had that "gut feeling" that aofficer was going to be around anytime!). Within the next mile that car with dim headlights comes flying up behind me in a curve, goes to pass in a "no passing zone", but isn't able to see the truck coming over the next hill....instead they are looking over at me and laughing...having a "good time." I realize they don't see the truck and aren't letting out of it. They now notice the oncoming truck...but appearently not the fact that he is hard on the brakes in an effort to provide them extra passing room....so they panic.

By now I've had time to remove my foot from the gas and over to the brake, the car cuts sharply towards my right front fender and I slam the brakes _HARD_, narrowly missing their rear quarter. That's when all their fun had stopped! As my laptop computer bounces off the dash, I watched in shock as the rear of their car goes sliding to the right after the driver tries to "straighten it up." Tires squealing, smoke filling to road way, the other driver still in panic (never letting off the brakes)...I watch, with the the light cast from my headlights into the drivers side of the car, the passengers tense and grab the seats in front of them. They slide for approximately 60 yards, across the on-coming lane (truck has now completely stopped in an effort to miss them). It appears as if they will go boucing off into a cornfield....ka-BOOOOOM! The car literally _EXPLODES_ into millions for shiny fragments flickering in the rays of light cast by both the on-coming truck's and my headlights, then almost instaneously ... it's gone! They had slammed into a small concrete cuvlert with bridge like sides 3 feet tall with the right rear tire of their car.

Over a small embankment the car now rests, having flown 30-40 yards in the air and then flipping 3 times end over end, resting on its grill/hood, rear end up in the air, and now leaning against a fence. The driver and 2 passengers lay an additional 20 yards away in the corn field...screaming...moaning...trying to move. The 4th comes tumbling out of the remains of the car, bleeding slightly from his head and holding his sholder which appears to be 3-4" lower than the other (he was the only one with a seat belt on!). One of the boys in the field trys to get up...despite the fact the back of his head is opened up, exposing what looks to be part of his brain, and bleeding profusely. Another sits against the road embankment just screaming (you now notice both his legs are seriously broken just below the knees). While the 3rd boy in the field barely moves...moaning...and barely conscious.

The two helicopters have now left with their cargo, the two ambulances have departed as well. People continue to ask, "Who was in that truck?"...not realizing what they are looking at is a CAR which no one, not even the cops, can even began to guess what make or model it was (from the brief moments it was in front of me, it appeared to be a Honda...Accord, perhaps?). The rescue personnel clean up, the state police continue to sketch and photograph the scene, the farmer and fireman work to put out the fires in the corn field caused by the signal flares used for the helicopters. Me....I just sat their for a few moments.....just now realizing just how "close" it truly was. I now realize, after watching first hand, how much damage a 70-75mph crash can do to a vehicle and it's passengers...thankful I was good handling Mopar and able to avoid being hit by them, thus escaping a similar fate that evening.

... I just wanted to pass this along so that perhaps others may re-think their actions while driving...I know I SERIOUSLY have!!! 75-80 mph may not "feel" fast while you're riding but I can assure each and everyone of you, after seeing all 4 of those boys...hit something just right and you WILL FEEL IT! Please be careful!

PS...according to the Sunday paper, no alcohol was involved and the 2 boys that were life-flighted are still alive.