According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the holidays are the worst times to be on the road. The NHTSA reports that two of the four deadliest days to be on the road are December 23rd and December 24th. The six-day period that includes Christmas even beat out the time around New Years with 27% more accidents, and 18% higher accidents than the Thanksgiving period. Although a time for families to come together in celebration, extra care should be taken when traveling during the holiday period. The Newnan Times-Herald reports on a fiery head-on crash that closed west Highway 16.
The incident took place overnight on December 24th.
22-year-old Austin Lanford was transported to Atlanta Medical Center in critical condition after an accident where he crossed over the center line and hit a semi-truck head-on.
Lanford had been driving eastbound on Highway 16 in a GMC Sierra truck when he crossed over the center line. He slammed into the semi-truck head-on, causing the vehicle to erupt into flames. The tractor-trailer then traveled across the roadway, striking a utility pole and a mailbox before jack-knifing and coming to a stop.
People who arrived on the scene just moments after the accident found the driver of the semi-truck sitting just a few feet from his truck. They were able to get him to a safer distance.
The owner of the GMC, Joshua Morse said that he had allowed Lanford to drive the truck. Both Morse and the driver of the semi-truck suffered serious but non-life-threatening injuries.
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