One person is dead and two others injured following a rollover accident on the Kansas Turnpike Friday morning.
According to the accident log on the Kansas Turnpike’s Web site, the driver, Wichita resident, Max McCutcheon, was traveling southbound and lost control for an unknown reason sending the vehicle into a rear wheel skid at Mile post 108.2 on the Kansas Turnpike. The vehicle, a 1985 Chevrolet SUV, went into the grassy ditch, overturned three times and came to rest facing southbound in the southbound ditch on its wheels.
McCutcheon, 18, died in the accident. He was ejected from the vehicle. According to the accident log, he was not wearing a seat belt. Two other occupants of the vehicle, Haley Randall, 21, of Rose Hill, and Blanca Villanueva, 23, of Wichita, were injured in the accident. The log stated that Randall and Villanueva also were not wearing seat belts.
sherryh (anonymous) says...
SEATBELTS!! I know that not everyone would be saved by wearing seatbelts but I would venture to guess more lives would be saved in crashes wearing them than not. I know everyone has the choice (even though it is the law)....as you should but this is sad....not much of a chance when you are ejected from a vehicle. Feel sad for the families involved.
August 6, 2010 at 12:30 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
Those poor families. SEATBELTS!!! Young people just never seem to listen.
August 6, 2010 at 3:27 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Walts37 (anonymous) says...
I guess there is no way of really knowing if seat belts would have saved this life but it does increase your odds of survival. I have been in several accidents & back then I never used a seat belt as lots of cars & trucks did not even have them. Over the years my wife has changed my views about the subject as in in the past our family with a car full of kids would load up in the car, She would not allow the car to move until all had buckled up. At the time I thought it was a nuisance but now it is just automatic for all of us to buckle up before the vehicle moves. It does not seem to be a nuisance anymore with me, the kids & their kids And it all started with my wife's insistence. I am not trying to tell everyone to buckle just thought I would share how we learned to cope with this situation. Condolences to the family of the deceased & a speedy recovery to all those injured.
August 6, 2010 at 5:26 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
snow (anonymous) says...
There's something much more effective than seatbelts. What is it? "Not Wrecking".
Seatbelts only help AFTER you wreck, and it's way better just to not wreck.
How can you "not wreck"? Try this:
Slow down, follow at a safe distance, use your turn signals, calm down, and be nice to the other drivers ... that's the ticket!
August 6, 2010 at 5:59 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Midge123 (anonymous) says...
My understanding is that Max fell asleep. He was a nice kid and gifted musician headed to college in a few weeks. My prayers are with his family and especially his younger brother. God Speed Max.
August 6, 2010 at 7:35 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
witnessguy (anonymous) says...
I was on the accident scene very shortly after the incident. I was travelling to a business meeting in Wichita from Kansas City.
I can assure everyone that if Max were wearing a seatbelt, he would still be alive. The automobile was in good shape, and everyone would have been fine if they were wearing seatbelts. Given Max survived the initial impact, I was hopeful he would make it through. I am devistated but not surprised by the news of his unfortunate death.
My prayers are with Max and his family as well as Blanca and her family.
Trust me- seat belts would have saved Max and Blanca any serious injuries.
August 6, 2010 at 9:46 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
thatguy151 (anonymous) says...
i also came across the scene soon after, but the officer told me it appeared that they had there seat belts on, but they both broke from the impact.
August 6, 2010 at 10:42 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )