A North Carolinian died in a car crash recently when his vehicle drifted into the median on Interstate 40 between Gallup and Grants, N.M., before being hit by a semi truck. The New Mexico state police don’t know why the car of 42-year-old Jose Ferraz of Wake Forest, North Carolina drifted into the median.
According to the investigation Ferraz was wearing a seat belt and had no alcohol in his system at the time of his death. The authorities indicated that after Ferraz drifted into the median, he then attempted to regain control of his vehicle but he lost further control as it went into a clockwise spin. The car continued through the median and in the pathway of the semi truck, which then hit the car. Ferraz was pronounced dead at the scene.
Although it is not clear how much time the tractor trailer driver had to react before he had to contend with the out of control car, there are some strategies he could have taken to have possibly avoiding the collision that left this man dead. Here is a likely scenario that may have played out:
You’re driving down a two-lane highway at 55 mph and in the distance, you see a car approaching in your lane at a high rate of speed . You frantically honk your horn, but the car continues to move toward you in your lane. You are not sure what is wrong, maybe the driver might be asleep, or drunk.
To avoid a head-on collision:
| • | Move to the right. If you move to the left, the head-on collision you were hoping to avoid may still happen. If the oncoming driver recovers, he may instinctively swerve back into his proper lane. |
| • | Reduce your speed and wait as long as you can to pull out of your lane. Pull as far to the right as possible; if need be, drive completely off the road. |
Highway Hint
Driving off the road isn’t without risk: There is a possibility you may be injured. However, it’s almost always better than a head-on collision. If you have to hit something, aim for something relatively soft, such as shrubbery.