Illinois State Trooper lifts car off of pedestrian crash victim

On behalf of Jeffrey Frederick of Frederick & Hagle posted in Pedestrian Accidents on Wednesday, March 27, 2013.

Even though we are all getting tired of winter, the fact remains that it is imperative in snowy conditions to slow down. Additionally, if there is an accident, it is safest to remain inside of the vehicle until help arrives in order to avoid becoming the victim of a pedestrian accident. An Illinois State trooper emphasized this message after a very close call on Monday in Rantoul, Illinois.

The trooper arrived on a stretch of Interstate 57 to assist several cars that were in the ditch. One driver got out of his car and was motioning for the trooper to come over. What happened next was terrifying as the trooper saw another car lose control and plow into the 21-year-old man flagging the trooper down. The trooper says, “It was kind of a surreal moment. It went in slow motion. I watched as the vehicle just plowed him over, just took him out. All of a sudden, I didn’t see him or the vehicle. They had slid down the embankment out of my view.”

The 21-year-old was pinned under the vehicle, unable to breath with just his legs sticking out. The trooper, a former offensive lineman for the University of Illinois, channeled his adrenaline and was able to lift the over 3,000-pound car off of the victim with the assistance of two others. While it was just minutes that the victim was pinned, the situation likely stretched on in agony for what felt like an eternity.

This action saved the pedestrian’s life. He did have to be transported to Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana, but was in stable condition. The driver that plowed into this victim was going 65 to 70 miles per hour, far too fast for the snowy conditions of Monday. The trooper issued the negligent driver a ticket, but the trooper did note that the driver helped lift his car off of the pedestrian. Even still, the trooper reports that the offending driver was extremely shaken by the incident. He will likely be much more cautious in the future.

Thankfully, this pedestrian accident has a happy ending. However, not all pedestrian accidents do. Failing to slow down in snow puts safety at risk, and also means that a negligent driver could be held financially liable for the injuries caused to a victim. The injuries, guilt and expense are not worth the risk.

Source: The News-Gazette, “Trooper, others lift vehicle off I-57 crash victim,” Mary Schenk, March 26, 2013