An 18-year-old Utah woman survived after being impaled by flying rebar while driving southwest of the Wyoming border on Monday, according to the Utah Highway Patrol.
According to the Utah Highway Patrol (UHP), the woman was in the front passenger seat of a Toyota Corolla traveling northbound on State Road 189. That road connects Provo, Utah and Jackson, Wyoming.
A “concrete form stake” struck her vehicle’s hood and went through the windshield, impaling her in the chest, according to the UHP.
A Life Flight helicopter was dispatched to the scene, but the woman was eventually transported to a nearby hospital in serious condition by ground.
On Tuesday, UHP spokesman Lt. Cameron Roden told Cowboy State Daily that the woman was alive and in serious condition as of Monday night. She remains in a hospital in the Provo area.
Ongoing Investigation
Roden said investigators do not yet know where the rebar came from as they search for information. He called the public who may have recorded the incident on dash cameras to contact UHP.
“That will help us and our investigators learn and investigate this crime more fully for the young lady that was involved,” Mr. Roden said.
Drivers, Roden added, should take care to secure large loads when driving on the highway to avoid potentially endangering other drivers. Oversecuring a load, he said, is preferable to undersecuring it.
“Never take for granted that something could fall out of your car and end up on the roadway and cause a crash,” Roden told the crowd.
Semitrucks are liable for any cargo lost while driving on highways, and they are typically very careful about securing their loads, Roden said.
Other commercial vehicles, such as those used in construction, should be aware that their cargo can also result in dangerous crashes.
According to Roden, Utah state troopers are constantly concerned about highway crashes caused by debris. He urged drivers to keep an eye out for road debris and troopers working to clear it.
“We had a trooper hit last year that had stopped on the shoulder of the roadway to remove some debris,” he informed us. “[The driver] spotted that debris too late and ended up having to swerve to miss it and ended up hitting our trooper.”
“Be mindful, and keep an eye out for our troopers,” Roden said. “Just know whenever you see those flashing lights that there’s something going on in that area.”
Stay Vigilant
Wyoming Highway Patrol Public Information Officer Aaron Brown told Cowboy State Daily he spoke with a state trooper, a captain and representatives from the state port of entry along the Utah border about Monday’s accident.
He stated that the incident serves as a reminder to all drivers to remain vigilant on the highway.
“Our highways require a partnership between civilian travelers, private and commercial carriers and construction crews to prevent accidents of all kinds, not just like that rebar,” he told CNN.
Brown explained that properly securing a load is critical for safe highway travel, but it is a “question with a million answers” due to the unique characteristics of each load being transported.
Commercial and private carriers, he said, should use plenty of straps and chains to keep loose objects from causing an accident.
Brown stated that Wyoming’s ports of entry are always willing to assist in the inspection and security of a large load.
“It’s not an inspection, but they can help make sure your loads are good to go,” Brown told me.
While construction crews are responsible for ensuring that their debris does not end up on the road, Brown added that this also requires a “team effort” from drivers, who must give construction crews extra space and adhere to construction zone speed limits.
“Impacting something or kicking up something is going to be far less impactful at 40 mph than it is at 90,” he told me. “Be vigilant and follow the posted speed limits.”
Above all, Brown advised drivers to always follow the rules of the road.
“That’s going to be universal whether it’s a mountain highway or I-25,” said the engineer.
