non-fishing related- teenager dies in car accident.

[ol tuna skipper]

I hope no one minds me using this board to make a point about the safety of our young drivers out there, but if you have kids learning to drive tell them something they don't learn in driver ed classes. Big trucks can't stop. If in doubt wait. Here is the story.

My neighbor lost his daughter in a car accident last friday. She was hit by a log truck when she pulled out onto highway 8 (known as gales creek highway). I talked to a few logger friends who know the intersection and confirmed it is a deadly blind corner. The locals acctually turn off their engines to listen for traffic because you can't see around the corner. The driver of the log truck was not at fault as he was only going 53 MPH unloaded in a 55 zone. He did everything he could to miss the pickup including throwing his big rig sideways. Unfortunatly the rear wheels still slammed the drivers side and snapped the pickup in two. The log truck still weighs 28,000 lbs. unloaded.

The girl (Kallie Macullum)died en route to the hospital, She was one of my oldest daughters good friends over the past ten years and a friend to my other three kids as well. She had her license only a few weeks. My daughter just completed her drivers ed. and was ready for her test. She has decided to wait to take it as she is not ready to get behind a wheel so soon after this tragedy.

Now my four kids are dealing with this tragedy as best as can be expected. The entire neighborhood of kids are terribly distraunt over this accident. I cannot even grasp what her family is going through. This young girl (sixteen years old)just starting out in life made a miscalculation that cost her her life. I asked my daughter if she was ever educated in her driver training classes about trucks, campers, boats in tow, and the momenteum they have even when doing the speed limit. They had never been told in any classes about the danger of big rigs or rigs towing. I can't help but wonder if this could have been avoided.

We boaters are educated as to big ships, tugs and barges not being able to stop or even manuever around us. Trucks are not much different.

I am writing this so you all can tell your kids about these dangers in driving our highways and drive cautiously around the big rigs and vehicles towing. I would hate to see another child make a fatal mistake because nobody informed them of the the fact that big rigs cannot stop quickly or slow down rapidly without putting someone in danger. I do not place blame on anyone. That logger did not chose this to happen and has to live with this as well as her family and friends. It was a terrible tragedy. All we can do is try to avoid another one. Please warn your own children as well as any young driver you know. Please say a prayer for the this child, her family and the truck driver and lets all drive a little more cautiously, for our kids.

The skipper

Thanks for this story Skipper. It is a terrible tragedy! Prayers and condolences for the family. [img]images/icons/frown.gif[/img]

These traffic tragedies affect us all. We hurt for these people. And we sit home wondering while our kids are driving cars - some irresponsibly. My 15 year old son just got his learner's permit, and I am working as hard to teach him about awareness of unexpected dangers as I am on driving technique. But I did not think to mention this about big commercial trucks. I will give him a copy of what you have had to say here, and ask him to print out many copies for his friends. I will do the same for my daughter. At an appropriate time, let your friends know that their loss may have at least helped others to be safer. Thank you.

RT [img]images/icons/frown.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/frown.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/frown.gif[/img]

[ 08-07-2001: Message edited by: RT ]

[DF]

I am a new driver,
im 16 and have had my license for only a few months.

things like this make me sad
[img]images/icons/frown.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/frown.gif[/img]
everyone please be carful.
I try to be as cautious and aware on the roads as possible.
Prayers for Kallie's family
Dustin [img]images/icons/frown.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/frown.gif[/img]

[sinker]

I have a lot of friends that drive truck. They've got some scary stories about drivers in cars.
I seen on the news some idiot up here wants to ban trucks during rush hour. He says it's because of all the truck related accidents. 99% of the time it's because some car cut them off.
One side of my family is full of log truck drivers, one was telling me he's ran a few cars off the road. One instance he was heading up a long hill and a car pulled right out in front of him. No time to stop so he went around in the other lane. Car coming the other direction comes over the top of the hill. Whips it back into his lane, running the idiot that pulled out in front of him right off the road. Said he didn't even stop to check on the idiots.
Watch out for those big rigs!!!! They weigh 80,000+ I think the new ones with the drop axles are running right around 96,000 or so. [img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img]
Stories like this scare me already and my daughter won't be 16 for another 12 years.

[Crusin]

I ts a shame when something like this happens,skipper you are so right about young drivers, matter of fact any driver should be taught about the big rigs,. I drive the coast and the I-5 corridor, its amazing that people think a big rig can stop on a dime, its amazing the distance it takes to stop when your hauling 20 thousand pounds of lead at 55 mph.Rigs are alot safer now days but...they also are capable of much greater speeds, just cause there big doesnt meen you have to pass them because they might slow you down.
Hopefully after this accident they will do something about that intersection.

[alwyze fishin]

my neighbor also lost his daughter last summer not much later then this hers was due to speed you my have also know her I will leave her know out of this these kids need a lot more time behide the wheel before they are let out on thier own

[finclipped]

What a terrible tradegy. I drove a log truck for 4 summers and had nightmares of people pulling out in front of me. The possibility of someone pulling out in front of me was the most frightening aspect of driving a large truck. I have known other truck drivers this has happened to and the result was the same. It is devastating to both family's and they suffer greatly. Not that it could have prevented this accident, but I wish drivers had a better understanding of just how heavy these trucks are and how long it takes them to stop. I really don't think drivers understand why they leave such a large buffer between themselves and the car in front of them.

[Jennie@ifish]

I am so sorry....
Very scary and sad.
[img]images/icons/frown.gif[/img]
My prayers are with all of you.
Jen

Paul,

My kids will be reading this. Please express
our sorrow.

Rick

[FM2]

I'm sorry to hear about this tragedy and will pray for Kallie and her family.

My son just turned 16 but he does not have his drivers license yet, only his learners permit. As a parent I beleive it's my responsibility to be sure he will be a safe driver and until that time comes he will not get his license. I know it is very difficult to teach kids about all situations, time does that but I know I can help him by sharing my experiences. Kids at this age believe they are immortal and will live forever (remember when you were 16) and at times my son gets frustrated with me for "preaching" while he is driving. I let him know that driving is a privelege, not a right and if he will listen to my advice it might prepare him just enough to hopefully recognize a potentially dangerous situation.

Please share with kids your experiences that would be constructive and informative. I have taught my kids that I am the parent until they move out so I will continue to "preach" about life knowing that someday it will pay off.

[ol tuna skipper]

Thank you all for the responses. I will print this out and pass it on to the family. And thank you for sharing this with your children. I just finished a summer training session with 15 high school kids ranging in age from 16 to 18 and made sure every one of them heard this story. They all responded to the tragedy and confirmed they will be whatching out for the big rigs. Most of them have just recently began driving. A few are at the permit stage. Beings they are all boys I had a long discussion with them about not being invincible. Hopefully the sharing will prevent more such accidents. Again thank you for the responses.

Skipper

[fishbait]

OTS,

Prayer has been said for all those involved. I copied this post and e-mailed it to my 14.9 yr old daughter. Thank you for the post, my heart goes out to the families.