APRIL 3, 2015
MULHALL, OKLAHOMA
Guthrie News Page has confirmed the driver of the tanker was
killed in this morning's accident on I-35.
RIP, friend.
The Grain truck had mechanical malfunction and was
attempting to get off roadway and was hit by tanker from behind.
The tank was empty but enough fumes from previous cargo that
exploded when exposed to a spark.
//----------------------------//
Emergency crews are on scene of a tanker truck explosion on
I-35 near Mulhall, Okla.
Initial reports indicate the explosion occurred around 10
a.m.
No word on the condition of the driver at this time.
However, according to the Guthrie News Page, one
person has been injured.
The person injured is reported to have head and leg
injuries.
EagleMed is headed to the scene.
Officials say the northbound lanes of I-35 is shut down
between Mulhall and Guthrie at this time.
//-------------------------//
UNITED STATES STILL HAS ONE OF THE HIGHEST ROAD ACCIDENT DEATH AND INJURY RATES IN THE WORLD: 34,000 DIE AND 2.5 MILLION INJURED EACH YEAR.
Despite the improvements in road safety, the United States has one of the highest death rates at about 1 person dead per 10,000 people. Unfortunately, only undeveloped countries have higher death rate.
Some states, such as Texas and West Virginia (sorry, WV, despite your tremendous progress in traffic safety, you are still at the top of the worst-death-rate list) have death rates of nearly 1.5 percent, i.e., fifty percent more people die compared to the national death rate.
Approximately 34,000 people are getting killed each year. In the 1950s and 1960s, about 55,000 people used to die on the roads – so, there has been improvement in the number of dead.
However, the number of injured is rising. Roughly 2.5 million are injured (yes, you read it correctly – 2.5 million injured) per year. That is, 1 percent (1%) of the population that is eligible to drive is injured every year.
It is worse than a war zone out there.
So, please be safe and be on the lookout for weaving-through-the-traffic drivers, crazy drivers, reckless drivers, sick drivers, medical-condition drivers, sleepy drivers, negligent drivers, stupid drivers, careless drivers, drunk drivers, speeding drivers, drugged drivers, texting drivers, talking-on-the-phone drivers, looking-at-the-GPS drivers, hurry-hurry drivers, tailgating drivers, upset drivers, eating-while-driving drivers, putting-the-lipstick-on-while-driving drivers, elderly drivers, and so on.