CEDAR CITY – A Cedar City woman escaped with minor injuries after her vehicle caught fire as a result of a crash Tuesday at 2:23 p.m. on northbound Interstate 15 near mile marker 61.
The woman, identified as Becky Hyde, was driving her 2002 Honda Civic to work at an after school program at Canyon View Middle School when she approached a recreational vehicle towing a car in the outside lane that was moving very slowly.
“It was like it was standing still,” said Hyde.
Hyde checked the inside lane to see if she was clear to pass and when she looked back she was too close to the RV she said.
She moved quickly to the inside lane to avoid rear-ending the car being towed and began to fishtail at which point she tried to regain control of the car but was unable to do so.
Hyde hit the inside guard chain and was sent across both lanes of traffic where she crashed into the outside guardrail, she said.
It was at this point that Hyde was pulled from her vehicle by what she described as a “good Samaritan,” who had witnessed the accident and noticed that her car was on fire.
“‘Get out of your car,’ he said, ‘it’s on fire,'” Hyde said.
“I wanted to retrieve my purse before it got burned and when I returned the flames were coming through the dash,” Hyde said, “it didn’t take long after that for them to engulf the whole cab.”
Hyde received only minor injuries – burns to her hands, wrists and face – as a result of the airbag deploying and was not transported to medical facilities said Sgt. Todd Royce of the Utah Highway Patrol.
“Airbag burns are common injuries in car accidents,” said Royce, “and are generally a sign that the driver had both hands on the wheel.”
Despite being burned Hyde is grateful for the airbag, she said, and thinks that it saved her from more serious injuries.
She is recovering at home today and feeling blessed.
“I am so grateful to all the people who helped me yesterday and blessed that I didn’t hit any other car, or injure anyone else, or have any of my kids in the car with me,” said Hyde.
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The back seat of a 2002 Honda Civic is melted by a fire caused when the vehicle crashed into a guard rail near mile marker 61 on northbound I-15, Cedar City, Utah, April 8, 2014 | Photo by Bryan Hyde, St. George News
The front passenger dash of a 2002 Honda Civic is destroyed by a fire caused when the vehicle hit a guard rail near mile marker 61 on northbound I-15, Cedar City, Utah, April 8, 2014 | Photo by Bryan Hyde, St. George News
Interior fire damage to a 2002, white Honda Civic caused after the vehicle crashed into a guard rail on northbound I-15 near mile marker 61, Cedar City, Utah , April 8, 2014 | Photos courtesy of Bryan Hyde
A white Honda Civic is destroyed by a fire caused when the vehicle crashed into the guardrail near mile marker 61 on northbound I-15, Cedar City, Utah, April 8, 2014 | Photo by Bryan Hyde, St. George News
Fire damage to a 2002, white Honda Civic caused after the vehicle crashed into a guard rail on northbound I-15 near mile marker 61, Cedar City, Utah , April 8, 2014 | Photos courtesy of Bryan Hyde
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Usual problem: driving too fast, not paying attention. She’s lucky, as are all the others in the area. Hope she learns her lesson.
You’re absolutely right! I hope she learned her lesson this time! If she doesn’t then a second crash is obviously the only way she’ll learn, right? Cause it isn’t like she was mentally or emotionally shaken from this event anyways. Wise observation my man.
Lucky lady, for sure. And obviously another person who fails to keep her car under control, either through inattention, or just plain driving too fast.
In other words, ditto to what Dan Lester said…
Try re-reading the article and focus on the slow-moving RV. There are minimum speeds posted on the freeways/interstates for a very good reason.