40 injured in car accident (10 dead)

[Yentatelaventa]

Car hits at least 40 people as it raced through outdoor famers market in Santa Monica

http://www.msnbc.com/m/lv/default.asp?0cm=c10

[hang a left]

1. 1 dead

40 injured, 10 critical, driver has fled

[slackmaster]

2. If that was an accident my ass chews gum!

MSNBC's video popup page says:

"40 injured in car accident
Wed 7/16 — Car hits at least 40 people as it raced through outdoor famers market in Santa Monica"

If it was caused by a mechanical failure I'll be very surprised. All indications I've read and seen have "mass murder" (edited to add) or "massive negligence" written all over them, but there will be no hue and cry to further regulate or ban cars, or to make it harder for an old person to keep a license.

[hang a left]

3. could be dui

[slackmaster]

4. Very likely, but that's still not an "accident"

I'm a purist when it comes to ascribing blame for car wrecks, and prefer to reserve the word "accident" for incidents that could not reasonably have been avoided, e.g. unexpected brake failures or unusual road conditions.

[DEMActivist]

5. 40 injuries, 6 dead, 10 critical

Driver in custody, eldery man, reported as in his late 70s.

Basically, the driver went 2 city blocks mowing down people and stands.

Horrible scene.

[slackmaster]

8. It's conceivable he had a health issue

Seizure or a heart attack, but why did he flee the scene?

[Maddy McCall]

18. Police are investigating...think he may have hit the gas inst. of brakes

They think he may have had a seizure, but they don't know, because they are "still investigating." on KCAL news.

[AlGore-08.com]

27. Local ABC channel now says "at least 8 dead"

Earlier they were reporting only 1 dead.

Very sad.

[bluestateguy]

6. This cannot be an accident

Punishment should be swift, sudden and severe.

[Cocoa]

9. of course it can be an accident

how many elderly people go on homicidal rampages?

This was an accident, and if the man is going to be punished it should be appropriate to his offense.

[slackmaster]

10. I hope they revoke his license

At the very least.

[Ediacara]

14. *sigh*

Now tell me again why there isn't a maximum driving age, like there's a minimum one?

[slackmaster]

17. California rules for older drivers...

Drivers over 70 have to renew in person (not by mail). They get a vision test and a new photo, but not driving test and not even a written test unless their license has been revoked previously.

The requirements for ALL drivers should be much stricter IMO.

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/dl/driversafety/dsnoskill.htm#med

[Proud_American]

32. Good question

Just the other day I almost got taken out by an elderly woman who decided at the last minute she really didn't want to get on the freeway.

[slackmaster]

39. AARP is one of the most powerful lobbies in the USA

Their membership is growing as the population ages. Expect this problem to get a lot worse before it gets better.

I'm going to stick my neck out here and predict we'll see a string of incidents like this, kind of like the train wrecks and child abductions of 2002.

[Proud_American]

42. Powerful, yes; influential, yes

But stupid? I don't think so. What good would come to them for championing licenses for elderly people who have no business being behind the wheel? Especially after this incident.

[SuffragetteSal]

48. Yes we had one here in Oregon

only last Thursday...a 91 y/o man ran down a mother and her baby as his car veered off the side of the road. Tragic. I agree with the above statement, Now tell me again why there isn't a maximum driving age, like there's a minimum one?.

We need legislation that protects the public's interests and safety - now! If they are capable enough to walk out to their car and get in, they can walk down to the bus stop.

[Maddy McCall]

16. His family should have taken his keys a LOOONG time ago. n/t

[Emboldened Chimp]

7. I just drove by this scene

didn't know what was happening until I got back to work--someone had the news on (work three blocks away from this accident.) They're saying it was an old man who plowed through. When he got out, he was disoriented and walking with a cane. He's reportedly in his late 70's. So, this could very well be an accident.

[slackmaster]

11. Well, maybe my ass does chew gum

Too early to be sure. We'll have to see what state of mind he was in, whether or not he had a valid license, whether or not he had taken any medication he was on, etc. It just makes me mad as hell when something like this happens, because ANYONE could become an innocent victim so easily.

And if it was caused by age or health problems, I'll ask why his family or friends didn't do something about it before this happened.

It takes a village to keep bad drivers off the road.

[Sequoia]

26. I've been there

I was thinking of the Farmer's Market a few days ago and how I used to like it when I lived there. This is awful. I guess they won't release the names for a while. God, I hope it's not anyone I know.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

12. Thought this was in reference to soldiers in Iraq.

Wouldn't be shocked.

[slackmaster]

19. Statistically, Baghdad is safer than Santa Monica

At least for today.

[renegade000]

30. wouldn't be sure of that statement...

how many people in baghdad may have been killed/wounded in unreported events? (mainly iraqi civilians/looters)

[Maddy McCall]

13. They just showed a little girl being loaded into an ambulance,8 fatalities

reported by police. 10 critical

[Maddy McCall]

15. Latest report on KCAL news -- 8 dead, including a 2 year old.

Driver was 80 years old.

[slackmaster]

20. My grandma is 95 and still has an Arizona driver's license

Fortunately she knows better than to drive, and sold her car 10 years ago.

[Rainbowreflect]

24. This is so sad for everyone involved.

I even feel for the driver. How will he live with himself when he knows what he has done.

[SuffragetteSal]

49. I bet you would feel sorry for the snake

when it bit you too...get real.

[slackmaster]

21. I wonder if Homeland Security is investigating

Maybe the driver was a Manchurian Candidate, so this incident was T********.

[saigon68]

46. Gun Control Needed

N/T </sarcasm>

[Maddy McCall]

22. Eyewitness: Car was going at least 50-60 MPH

Car flew by, plowing through people and tables. It happened at 10 til 2:00, and the market closes at 2:00.

Lots of tourists on the streets..."hundreds of people" were on the streets.

KCAL Channel 9 (381 on Dtv) is doing a good job covering this.

[slackmaster]

23. Even if the driver was unconscious, it's amazing

Almost incredible that he could have gone so far without hitting something that would have stopped his car.

[hotphlash]

34. This Market is blocked off. No traffic is allowed through.

The street Traffic around the area rarely exceeds 25mph even around Wilshire. How can you work your way up to 50 miles an hour?

[slackmaster]

40. Maybe the guy just got out of a 2 Fast 2 Furious matinee

Modern cars can accelerate pretty quickly.

[hotphlash]

43. no way

The car was a Pontiac sedan driven by an 80 year old man. Im sure it goes from 0-60 in 8 seconds. He would have to built up a pretty good head of steam. The general traffic was much slower than 35 in the area.

[soleft]

25. Something similar happened in Washington Square Park

About 10 years ago, an elderly woman, I still remember her name, Stella Maychick, drove her car into the park, plowing throu people. Several people were killed. Apparently she thought she was hitting the break, but kept hitting the gas pedal. Very tragic.

[NYC]

28. I remember that.

I had forgotten about it until you mentioned it.

[Mithras61]

44. Had a similar incident here a few years back...

Older fellow driving a large luxury sedan (Cadillac, Buick or some such) and was in a parking lot pulling into a parking space. Seems he mistook his gas pedal for his brake and jumpoed the curb and drove almost completely through a shop there. Killed 2, injured about a dozen, some permanently handicapped now. They took his license away, but I think it was too little and too late.

Everyone should have to take operational competency tests periodically. Why shouldn't you have to prove you can drive well enough to have a license about every ten years? If your score falls below a certain point (say 68%), no license. You could add a second point that requires a more frequent retest (say 80% and you have to retest after 5 years).

[VolcanoJen]

29. UPDATE - Link, CNN

http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/West/07/16/farmers.market.crash/

[jus_the_facts]

31. that's just horrific......

.....sure hope my friend who works around there is alright.was hoping she'd posted to this thread and I'd KNOW she's okay *worried* x(

[hotphlash]

33. a friend of his says he cares about people...

they are trying to attribute it to mechanical problems. Insane. Its like Christmas 2001 in NYC in Times Square where the elder driver plowed into a bunch of people, too. Insane.

I work in Westwood and there are bunches of Ambulances coming out of UCLA. This is bad.

[no_arbusto]

35. Why must the media sensationalize everything?

This is such a very tragic moment and several of the anchors at KCAL are making statements like "This looks just like what I'd expect a terrorist car bombing to look like in the Middle East. That's the first thing I thought of when I saw this." No, assholes, this looks like some guy drove through a crowded market and ran people over. The accident is horrific enough. Why must they spin it even more?

[bunnyhop]

50. This deserves to be sensationalized

If somebody set off a bomb that killed 8 people and injured 30 others, you'd call that a major tragedy. But when some nut kills with a car all the car-lovers come out and say "hey - that's an accident and doesn't count".

[Zhade]

36. Damn.

I live in Santa Monica, about five minutes away. Hope no one I know was there...

[slackmaster]

38. I just got emails from both of my friends in the area

Both are alive and well.

[bunnyhop]

37. 80 year old geezer should be locked up

But just watch. The GOP controlled media will make it out to be another "blameless accident". The guy prolly won't even lose his license. OTOH, if first lady laura can get away with highway murder i guess everyone should.

[JohnOneillsMemory]

41. My friend and his family left 10 min. before it happened. He saw the news

from his nearby hotel room. I was talking to him when he saw the helicopter news coverage. He said "oh my god" and hung up. Then he called right back to say why he needed to regroup before he could speak again. He'd just left with his wife and children 10 min. before it happened. Life is indeed short and fragile and should be protected from people who can't handle overpowered devices like cars, guns, military planners, illegal governments etc.
TECH IDEA: Since the technology exists to activate air bags, how about a sensor that activates brakes and disengages transmission when an object is struck or when the car comes in proximity to objects at inordinate speeds? No more tailgaiting at 80mph, no more hit and runners, no more multiple out-of-control massacres like this one. This is easily possible.

[tinanator]

45. probably for the same reason Ford wouldnt save your life for $1

That is all it would have cost to place the safety device on the Pinto in order to prevent a hazard they KNEW about.

[DagmarK]

47. Yeah......but what if you had to mow over an obstacle (not human!)

to help get out of the way of like a TRAIN mowing you down? It would be a drag if your car just STOPPED?

Sheesh.

We had a case this year......the elderly lady hit the gas instead of the break and ended up inside a bank or a sandwich shop or something.

Another elderly guy went right into someone's home.

This is a tough one.....I want our seniors (and me, when I am a senior) to have as much freedom as they can have .....but seems the problem of the break pedal vs. the gas pedal has posed a problem. And I guess they get confused when the car goes OOOMPH....and they just keep pushing on that "break" pedal. Maybe they need to modify the pedal system???????? Put a BIG light on the dash for when the break is pushed.....if no light, you don't have the break under your foot.