Just completed watching the Emergency Responders' Press Conference regarding the Tiger Woods multiple rollover accident from earlier this morning. Both as an accident injury attorney who has worked with many experts analyzing vehicle accidents, and having been in a collision that totaled my own vehicle, certain reportings were of particular interest to me.
Foremost were some of the comments of Officer Gonzalez, the first person on the scene. He couldn't stress enough how significant it was to Tiger's survival that he was wearing his seat belt. His comments about how cars today are much "much safer than previously" with regard to how the passenger compartment remained intact despite the front of the vehicle being completely demolished also struck a personal note. ( I handled a case some years ago in which our identification of insufficient protection to the passenger compartment eventually led to the addition of side bars in the door panels by that manufacturer.)
Another aspect of the accident commented upon was how the specific location where the accident occurred was a trouble spot that has seen multiple collisions in the past. Of note was both the steep downgrade and curves that often led to vehicles exceeding the posted 45 mph speed for the somewhat rural roadway. The LAPD officer familiar with monitoring vehicles on that stretch of roadway commented he would encounter vehicles traveling 80 mph at the subject location. I appreciated his comment that "this can be a lesson to all of us" to drive slower in such circumstances. I could picture exactly what he was referring to having driven that road on multiple occasions myself.
Presumably more information will be released as to the specific injuries, which have been identified as serious and include present surgery involving his legs, it was reassuring to learn that Tiger was coherent at the scene and had survived what in the opinion of those from the police and fire departments could have been a fatal accident.
Apparently "Extra, Extra" was there as well. (Correspondent Jennifer Lahmers?)
Foremost were some of the comments of Officer Gonzalez, the first person on the scene. He couldn't stress enough how significant it was to Tiger's survival that he was wearing his seat belt. His comments about how cars today are much "much safer than previously" with regard to how the passenger compartment remained intact despite the front of the vehicle being completely demolished also struck a personal note. ( I handled a case some years ago in which our identification of insufficient protection to the passenger compartment eventually led to the addition of side bars in the door panels by that manufacturer.)
Another aspect of the accident commented upon was how the specific location where the accident occurred was a trouble spot that has seen multiple collisions in the past. Of note was both the steep downgrade and curves that often led to vehicles exceeding the posted 45 mph speed for the somewhat rural roadway. The LAPD officer familiar with monitoring vehicles on that stretch of roadway commented he would encounter vehicles traveling 80 mph at the subject location. I appreciated his comment that "this can be a lesson to all of us" to drive slower in such circumstances. I could picture exactly what he was referring to having driven that road on multiple occasions myself.
Presumably more information will be released as to the specific injuries, which have been identified as serious and include present surgery involving his legs, it was reassuring to learn that Tiger was coherent at the scene and had survived what in the opinion of those from the police and fire departments could have been a fatal accident.
Apparently "Extra, Extra" was there as well. (Correspondent Jennifer Lahmers?)
Last edited:
