Rock and Roll... and live to tell about it!
Seat Belts
Save Lives
I'm a Paramedic and I Am Still Here Because I Buckle Up!
see How to Die in 0.7 of a second.
EMT's and
Paramedics are not immune to accidents,
nor are they immortal.
10/13/98 On otherwise
dry, normal roads, a fog cloud had come down and kissed the pavement, leaving a
200 foot path of black ice. After losing control on the ice, I hit a rock wall
at approximately 55 mph and then rolled three times.
Seat belt was in use, resulting in only simple fx ribs X2, small bone fx in
foot, leg and knee strain, bumps on head, bruised from head-to-toe...
BUT ALIVE!!
Now will you buckle your seatbelt????
Please, always buckle up!
See the best message sent to me
Do you know what happens in the first fatal seconds after a car going 55 mph hits a solid object head on?
In the first tenth of a second: The front bumper and grill collapse.
In the second tenth of a second: The hood crumbles, rising and striking the windshield as the spinning rear wheels lift from the ground. Simultaneously, fenders begin wrapping themselves around the solid object and, although the car's frame has been halted, the rest of the car is still going 55 miles per hour. Instinct causes the driver to stiffen his legs against the crash.
In the third tenth of a second: The drivers legs snap at the knee joints. The steering wheel starts to disintegrate and the steering column aims for the drivers chest.
In the fourth tenth of a second: Two feet of the front end of the car are wrecked, the rear end of the car is still moving 35 miles per hour and the driver is still moving at 55 miles per hour.
In the fifth tenth of a second: The driver is impaled on the steering column and blood rushes to his lungs.
In the sixth tenth of a second: The impact has built up to the extent that the emblem on the bottom of the drivers shoe is now permanently embossed on the brake pedal before the pedal shears off and the shoes are ripped from his feet. The car frame buckles in the middle and the drivers head plunges through the windshield. The rear wheels, still spinning, fall back to the pavement.
In the seventh tenth of a second: Door hinges rip loose, the doors fly open, and the seat breaks free striking the driver from behind. In the eighth tenth of a second: The inertia is spent and objects settle back into the drivers compartment, the drivers head is decapitated as he reenters through the broken windshield. He won't know it, because he died one tenth of a second ago.
Now will you buckle your seatbelt????
My Daddy says that your car crashed and you got a boo boo. Are you feeling okay? I have a toy car that my Daddy pushes me in. One day he was pushing me and when we went to turn, the car rolled over. I didn't have a seat belt and was ejected. I landed on my face on the carpet. Fortunately I wasn't hurt. I thought Mommy was going to hurt Daddy though. It was kind of funny.
I hope you get to feeling better soon. Say hi to the ponies for me.
Wet, slobbery baby kisses. Sarah
Other comments to this page
You were visiting Jurassic Park and the Tyrannosaurus tried to eat your car. Right? Glad your injuries appear to be something you'll recover from. My belt is the first thing that goes on...even before the key goes in the ignition. Doc
Wow, pretty incredible pictures. I'm very glad that you are ok, at least mostly ok - I hope that you heal quickly. If you had your gear in your car it was either fortunate (since the first bystander could have backboarded you :-) or not so fortunate (since those trauma kits are pretty heavy). I often think that if I get in a wreck I'll be squished by my hockey gear. Glad you're still here! TC
Just viewed the pictures of your crash. You are mighty fortunate. Glad you were able to walk/crawl away. Aren't near death experiences great? They make life more interesting and enjoyable. BK
OHMYGOD! What pictures! What grace, that you are alive! Thank you for the message. I usually buckle up, but sometimes....You have done me a service, and for that, I am grateful! BF
Valerie: Leave it to you to find new and innovative ways to support the EMS system. I'm very glad you're OK, it looked like a very nasty wreck. It's great (although not surprising) to see you using your personal tragedy as education. I hope folks listen to your important message. M