After spending several years working with Kent personal injury cases as an auto accident attorney I have witnessed the mangled mess of metal a severe auto crash can make of a car. A car crashing into a tree, building, or other obstacle at high speeds can rip a car apart as a recent car hijacker who evaded police found out in a Lakewood car crash.
A Tacoma resident reported that their 1993 Honda sedan had been hijacked at knife point shortly before 11 am Tuesday, December 28th. After receiving the report a police officer located the vehicle being driven by Mark A. Mertz in Lakewood, Washington. The police officer attempted to make a routine traffic stop and pull the stolen vehicle over, but Mertz refused to pull over and instead attempted to elude the police officer.
During the chase Mertz hit a curb which sent the Honda flying through the air and smashing into a tree in a Lakewood car crash. The impact from the accident was so great the Honda actually split in half. The accident occurred shortly before 11 am at 3900 100th St. SW in Lakewood, Washington. The driver of the stolen vehicle did not suffer life threatening injuries; he was taken to the hospital, treated and then taken into custody for armed robbery and eluding a police officer.
The driver in this accident was very lucky not to have sustained serious and life-altering injuries, but most drivers are not so lucky. Auto accidents lead to a variety of injuries; whiplash, head or brain trauma, pelvic injuries and pregnancy complications to name a few, but there are some things you can do to help protect yourself from serious injury in an auto accident.
1. Always wear your seatbelt: 60% of auto accident fatalities occur because the victim was not wearing a seat belt.
2. Watch your speed: speeding contributes to an overwhelming number of serious auto accidents, and injuries in a high-speed accident are far more severe than those in a lower speed incident.
3. Beware of adverse conditions: drive safely for the conditions on the road- slow down on slick, wet or icy roads.