Two killed in crash after driver pulls U-turn on Yellowhead Trail to avoid checkstop

[speedog]

People just aren't getting it and then do such foolish things that so seriously impact their lives and those known and unknown to them as well. Drinking and driving - the dangers of combining the two have been drilled into us for at least 4 decades now and yes, we do not know for sure if the young man that was driving the Toyota was under the influence of alcohol or not but the probability is pretty good that he was. I tell my kids, two which are right around this kid's age, to take a cab or call us or have a DD and they do. Myself, not a drinker any more, maybe one alcoholic beverage in the last 4 months so it's not an issue but hearing of an event such as this in Edmonton saddens me - it doesn't have to happen.

Fron the Calgary Herald - link (http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/edmonton/killed+Yellowhead+crash+Sunday+morning/11261592/story.html).


EDMONTON - Edmonton police say a driver pulled a U-turn on Yellowhead Trail to avoid a checkstop early Sunday, killing himself and a passenger when his speeding vehicle hit a Mercedes.

In a news Sunday, police said they believe the 21-year-old driver had being drinking. He was driving a Toyota Camry east on Yellowhead Trail at 3 a.m. Sunday when he saw an RCMP checkstop at about 17th Street.

He pulled a U-turn and was headed west in the eastbound lanes when he collided with a Mercedes-Benz SUV. That driver, a 33-year-old man, suffered severe injuries and is in hospital.

The Camry also hit a Chevrolet Cobalt. The 23-year-old woman driving that vehicle was treated for less serious injuries and taken to hospital as a precaution.

The Camry ended up on its roof in the median at about 35th Street. The driver and a 21-year-old woman sitting in the back seat died at the scene.

A 22-year-old man in the front passenger seat has severe injuries.

Police said the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team will conduct a review of the Edmonton police investigation because of the circumstances.

The deaths marked Edmonton’s 17th and 18th traffic fatalities of 2015.

[blairtruck]

i seen this crash yesterday morning on my way to Calgary. yellowhead was closed and i had to detour.
twitter updates say the guy u turned and was doing approx 150km/h in the wrong direction on the freeway.

[FraserB]

Shame that the police will now be under scrutiny from ASIRT over this. Especially since they did nothing wrong.

At least no one innocent was killed in this case. Hopefully the folks who were hit recover fast.

[Tik-Tok]

Originally posted by FraserB
Shame that the police will now be under scrutiny from ASIRT over this. Especially since they did nothing wrong.

At least no one innocent was killed in this case. Hopefully the folks who were hit recover fast.

Well, the back seat passenger, but yeah I cant believe ASIRT is even touching this, just because there was a checkstop. Legal obligation, I suppose.

[J-D]

Originally posted by speedog
People just aren't getting it and then do such foolish things that so seriously impact their lives and those known and unknown to them as well. Drinking and driving - the dangers of combining the two have been drilled into us for at least 4 decades now and yes, we do not know for sure if the young man that was driving the Toyota was under the influence of alcohol or not but the probability is pretty good that he was. I tell my kids, two which are right around this kid's age, to take a cab or call us or have a DD and they do. Myself, not a drinker any more, maybe one alcoholic beverage in the last 4 months so it's not an issue but hearing of an event such as this in Edmonton saddens me - it doesn't have to happen.

Fron the Calgary Herald - link (http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/edmonton/killed+Yellowhead+crash+Sunday+morning/11261592/story.html).



I honestly think bringing Uber to Calgary would make somewhat of a reduction in these types of incidents. It's very common to see the 18-25 age group involved, where people are less experienced with alcohol and tend to go out more often and overindulge. This age group also typically has less money, and can't necessarily afford to spend $80 on a taxi to their parents place in the suburbs 3-4 times a week.

Not trying to justify it, but it's pretty evident that public perception and enforcement only deter this to an extent - if you want to solve the problem you either need self driving vehicles or an alternative that everyone can afford. Taxis are crazy expensive in this city, and transit does not reach many parts of the city later in the night.

[AndyL]

Usually there's a officer stationed before the checkstop to watch for this crap. It's been a crazy weekend for dui's...

[speedog]

Originally posted by J-D


I honestly think bringing Uber to Calgary would make somewhat of a reduction in these types of incidents. It's very common to see the 18-25 age group involved, where people are less experienced with alcohol and tend to go out more often and overindulge. This age group also typically has less money, and can't necessarily afford to spend $80 on a taxi to their parents place in the suburbs 3-4 times a week.

Not trying to justify it, but it's pretty evident that public perception and enforcement only deter this to an extent - if you want to solve the problem you either need self driving vehicles or an alternative that everyone can afford. Taxis are crazy expensive in this city, and transit does not reach many parts of the city later in the night.

Nope, I still can't justify this driver's actions and I don't necessarily believe that Uber would've been a solution - don't care if he was young and overindulged as a result of being young or decided that getting drunk (if that's the case here) was more important than putting aside some monies for a taxi ride. The fact remains is that there are services available - taxi's, DD, possibly even drive you and your vehicle home services and this young guy opted to do otherwise and has now needlessly impacted 5 peoples lives.

RIP to those that have passed and hopefully the survivors can get on with their lives in the exact same regular fashion as they have in the past but we all know that will not ever be the case. Fucked up - that's what this situation is. Christ, my three eldest are 23, 22 and 21 - I shudder to think of the turmoil that young 21 year old driver's family is going through right now. Certainly, their August long weekend is now way more horrific than any of ours.

[spikerS]

Originally posted by Tik-Tok


Well, the back seat passenger, but yeah I cant believe ASIRT is even touching this, just because there was a checkstop. Legal obligation, I suppose.

Not so innocent in my eyes. Unless she was passed out drunk and put in the car, she made the decision to get in the car with an inebriated driver. She could have found a safe way home.

[OTown]

More senseless deaths from a selfish and completely avoidable act. I just wished the public perception on this issue would force our criminal system to actually wake up and do something about it. This is a sore point for me so I wont speak too much on it. I just wished people would make the responsible choice but some of these people will never learn.

[gwill]

The guy had to be running from something else other then drunk driving. Maybe he had warrants, or drugs??? Doesn't change things but I don't recall the last time a drunk driver went through such lengths trying to avoid a check stop before that also had such tragic results.

To whoever said uber would change things... Edmonton has uber. It didn't change what happened.

[XylathaneGTR]

Originally posted by gwill

To whoever said uber would change things... Edmonton has uber. It didn't change what happened.
Uber can't fix stupid.

[J-D]

Originally posted by gwill
The guy had to be running from something else other then drunk driving. Maybe he had warrants, or drugs??? Doesn't change things but I don't recall the last time a drunk driver went through such lengths trying to avoid a check stop before that also had such tragic results.

To whoever said uber would change things... Edmonton has uber. It didn't change what happened.

Not necessarily that it's going to solve everything, I just think it'd help in some circumstances. Some people will never learn. Personally, I almost never go out drinking anymore because it's too much of a pain in the ass to deal with transportation... and even using a DD service once or twice a month eats into the entertainment budget pretty hard.

[Sugarphreak]

...

[Canmorite]

Originally posted by XylathaneGTR

Uber can't fix stupid.

Unfortunately no. Still a ton of people who drink and drive and just don't care. No amount of MADD or public safety announcements will change their mind :dunno:

Time to increase fines and penalties. They are way too lenient on this issue.

[r3ccOs]

no checkstops, no drunk driver attempting an illegal u-turn that resulted in this catastrophic accident.

NDP govt for you

[speedog]

Originally posted by r3ccOs
no checkstops, no drunk driver attempting an illegal u-turn that resulted in this catastrophic accident.

NDP govt for you
Are you for real?

Check Stops have been around for decades and have existed regardless of who's in power.

[ipeefreely]

Originally posted by r3ccOs
no checkstops, no drunk driver attempting an illegal u-turn that resulted in this catastrophic accident.

NDP govt for you
That's the stupidest thing I've read today... :nut:

https://www.alien-ufos.com/attachments/politics-current-events-serious-discussion/22292d1416235775t-obama-should-held-accountable-death-thousands-non-combatants-image.jpg

[jwslam]

Originally posted by Canmorite
Unfortunately no. Still a ton of people who drink and drive and just don't care. No amount of MADD or public safety announcements will change their mind :dunno:

Time to increase fines and penalties. They are way too lenient on this issue.
:werd:
Can totally derail this thread and say the same thing about texting.

[taemo]

Originally posted by spikerS


Not so innocent in my eyes. Unless she was passed out drunk and put in the car, she made the decision to get in the car with an inebriated driver. She could have found a safe way home.

while true, it wasn't her decision to do a U-turn and speeding on the wrong lane, might as well hold accountable the people that allowed the two to drive back home drunk.

[Cos]

.

[r3ccOs]

Originally posted by Cos


:werd: totally came in here to post how it is the NDP's fault too. Beat me to it.

Ban Notley

Socialism causes death, NDP can suck it

[Robin Goodfellow]

Originally posted by spikerS


Not so innocent in my eyes. Unless she was passed out drunk and put in the car, she made the decision to get in the car with an inebriated driver. She could have found a safe way home.

Simultaneously callous, and correct.