WASHINGTON CITY —Distracted driving likely contributed to a four-car crash that occurred Wednesday afternoon in front of Majestic Fields Elementary School, Washington City Police Lt. Kory Klotz told St. George News.
At approximately 3:40 p.m., an older man driving a white Toyota Venza was traveling west on Majestic Drive when his cell phone rang, Klotz said. There was heavy traffic as school was just letting out. As the man reached down to answer the phone, he drifted into the right lane, according to the report.
The Venza rear-ended a white GMC SUV, driven by a woman picking up her two daughters, aged 8 and 5, from school. She then rear-ended a red 2018 Chevy Malibu, whose driver in turn rear-ended a gray Mazda, Klotz said.
The driver of the Toyota reported chest pain, perhaps due to the tensing of his seatbelt or the deployment of the front airbags, Klotz said, adding that the driver was transported to the hospital for evaluation, but not before receiving a citation for improper lane travel.
The driver said the man received a warning regarding distracted driving, because while he told police he was reaching for his cell phone, he was not holding it at the time of the incident.
The Toyota and the GMC were towed from the scene. The Chevy and the Mazda were both retained by their owners, who were able to drive away in vehicles that were only minorly damaged, Klotz noted.
By 4:20 p.m., the ambulance carrying the injured driver had departed for the hospital. A Washington City Fire Department truck and two Washington City Police cruisers were on the scene along with the two tow trucks. A car seat removed from the GMC, which was placed on the grass in front of the school, served as a reminder of how fortunate it was that no children were hurt in the crash.
Michelle Swenson, the driver of the GMC, told St. George News her children were scared when the collision occurred. The girls were unhurt, however, and proved resilient, running and playing on the school field while their family vehicle was towed. Swenson said people usually drive quite safely around the school. She said she hoped the gentleman who rear-ended her vehicle was not badly hurt.
Tavita Niupulusu, the owner of the Chevy Malibu, told St. George News he’d purchased the previously-owned car, which was in great condition, just three months ago.
“That’s life,” he said, adding that he was relieved no kids were injured in the pileup.
The older driver was lucky not to have been further injured, thanks to his seatbelt and safety factors like the front airbags, Klotz said.
“Anytime there’s stopped vehicles and you’ve got someone going the speed limit of 25-30 miles per hour, the force of that impact can definitely be dangerous,” he said.
Klotz noted that careless driving, whether it involves the direct use of a cell phone or hands-free communication, is a contributing factor in a lot of crashes. He said there’s a big push by state legislators to get laws on the books to deter distracted drivers.
“We just ask you to put the cell phone down. The call can wait,” he said.
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