1970 El Camino Wrong Way Deaths~Minn.

[Mr70]

Incredibly sad...
https://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2018/07/10/wrong-way-fatal-crash-waite-park/

[bugsy]

Prayers sent to the family's who lost their lives.

[chevelleheart]

Just terrible, so tragic...prayers to the family’s also.

[70 copo]

OMG... how sad. Prayers sent. My heart breaks for the two guys in the ElCamino.

I guess this duplicates the Malibu vs a better full frame car that some in the collector car community said would show the older car to be safer in a corner frontal.

I was interested by the comments section in this particular Jalopnick article about the Malibu vs the 59 Bel Air where allegations were made that the IHS test was somehow rigged and Jalopnick investigated.

Discussion here: https://jalopnik.com/5364071/yes-the-iihs-crashed-59-chevy-had-an-engine

Those Malibu's are super safe in a frontal crash. I have one for that very reason.

[big gear head]

I wonder if they were wearing seat belts, or if it would have made any difference. I wonder if wearing the lap belts in my Camaro would help in a serious crash. I always wear them, but I just wonder how affective they are in these old cars.

[Mr70]

Is it me,or are we seeing more & more wrong way deaths occurring today then say over the last 20-30-40 years?

[novadude]

Wow... even worse that it was a potential buyer on a test drive that killed the owner and destroyed the car.

[flyingn]

The person driving the wrong way just got out of prison the day before. Draw your own conclusions

[70 copo]

Is it me,or are we seeing more & more wrong way deaths occurring today then say over the last 20-30-40 years?

Yes I think so. Due to the regulations in place now it takes so long to construct a new road that one way street usage is back, the return of the round about, and other complex traffic solutions like two lanes flowing in the same direction - that may reverse within the same day all contribute to the creation of a vastly more confusing mix of new traffic flow patterns.

The one I detest is the two stop light between a curve pattern employed in Arizona under many of the freeway bridges. That one is an easy trap to fall into if you are from a part of the country where this is not used.

[x33rs]

The one I detest is the two stop light between a curve pattern employed in Arizona under many of the freeway bridges. That one is an easy trap to fall into if you are from a part of the country where this is not used.

Yes, this is a big one ^^^

It's very easy to confuse the first stop light for your on freeway turn, which puts you in head on traffic, and there is nothing there to stop you from doing it. All it takes is some numb nut on medication, or drinking, not paying attention, and there you go.

I've seen more wrong way drivers here in Arizona than any other state I've lived in and I attribute that to these double stop lights at the freeway on and off ramps. At least once a week, sometimes more, there are wrong way drivers on the news.

[PeteLeathersac]

'


What sad news, prayers and thoughts for the victim families.
I've had wrong-way drivers blow past me on divided 4-lane hi-ways two times in the past 20 years.
Once was @ night so easy to see the guy coming, I pulled to the shoulder and flashed my lights but he flew on by like he didn't see anything.
The other time was daylight cresting a hill, I didn't see anything until the guy blew by @ high speed as if he was on a two lane road...another great reason to keep right and not sit in the passing lane.
:frown:
~ Pete


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[69hurstSC]

The seller was friends of my parents and lived in the same town. They were just at a show together 2 weeks ago. A hell of a nice guy. Tragic and sad.

[SS427]

Sorry to hear that Wes. I'm sure that effecting your dad pretty bad. Pass along my condolences and tell him I said hi as well.

[70 copo]

By the looks of the El Camino the hit looks to be nearly identical to the Bel Air test by angle and severity of damage


https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fPF4fBGNK0U

[travlnz28]

I looked at this last night. I was teaching my son to drive a stick shift today in my 70 LS5 and I was thinking of this when we went out to the main road for a little drive. Very sad for the family and friends of of both families.

[mockingbird812]

Very sad indeed. The biggest difference between the older cars and modern is their crash-worthiness design. The old cars have lots of mass but are too rigid and were not designed to crumple strategically which gives the occupants the time to decelerate within their "design" limits. The more time that you can buy to slow the body down the less likely there are life threatening injuries. Altho this ElC had lap and probably separate shoulder belts how many of us only attach the lap belt. Shoulder belt will aid, of course, the head/chest from contacting steering wheel or dash. Another consideration is maintaining the integrity of the occupiable space. Old cars are known for things like engines intruding into the occupants areas whereas new cars have lots of tricks to avoid this and maintain the integrity of the occupants area with modern structural reinforcements.

[BJCHEV396]

Very sad.I always stay in the right lane when driving my '64 Camino on a four lane road.Feel safer there

[SS427]

Based on experience, the passenger 'may' have survived this crash with shoulder and lap belts but I seriously do not believe the driver would have had any chance to a normal life even if he had been wearing restraints and had survived. Such a complete waste of two very innocent people.