A Jeep skidded off the eastbound Spout Run Parkway this morning, careening down a small ravine and into Spout Run itself.
The driver of the Jeep was taken to the hospital with what were reported to be minor injuries. U.S. Park Police are on the scene while tow trucks attempt to get the vehicle out of the creek. One lane of eastbound Spout Run is blocked as a result.
Related Posts
- Road Closed After Person Struck by Construction Vehicle April 7, 2011
- Overturned Jeep Snarls Traffic on King Street March 3, 2011
- BREAKING NEWS — Multi-Vehicle Accident on I-66 September 24, 2010
- Serious Accident Shuts Down Northbound GW Parkway March 15, 2010
Oh yeah, it’s raining.
Let me guess. Automatic transmission.
“This never would have happened with a bike.”
Surprised no one tossed that out there.
probably because accidents like this remind us bikers that staying out of the way of idiot drivers can be a matter of luck as well as skill.
The driver could have had cruise control engaged, which is extremely dangerous to use in wet conditions. Hit a puddle while your car tries to accelerate on its own and be ready for a hydroplane.
Creek vs Run?
Was just trying to re-enact the Jeep commercials…
the Jeep in its natural habitat
It would be pretty cool if they were able to just drive it out of the creek. I mean, that’s what Jeeps are supposed to be able to do, right?
hahahahahah
an suv actually being used for SUV purposes? HAHAHAHAA
i bet the driver (who I do hope is okay because it looks like it got rolled) doesn’t even know how to engage the true 4×4 tranny on that jeep.
e locker
Trying to out-do the Jeep that drove through a Jerrys a few days ago out in Fairfax City
Recalling the recent report about the accident prone driving in our region – none of this ever continues to surprise me.
Accidents such as these should require one to appear before court to discuss your behavior and whether or not your license should be suspended.
Avoiding a deer?
Possibly, but most likely a case of “I have 4wd and it’s raining so I’m going to go wide open throttle durrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr”
Reminds me of that line from Vacation when Chevy drives off the end of the closed road and the mechanic says “Ain’t never seen anyone so s**t-all stupid as you driving off that road. You musta got manure for your brains.”
I don’t see how this could happen on that stretch of road if you’re going the speed limit and paying attention.
No one goes the speed limit. We’re expected to toodle through the woods at 35 mph…you will get run off the road going less than 65.
Bit of an exaggeration there… I take Spout Run every day, and most people go around 45. It’s fairly rare to have someone blow by you going 65+ b/c of the curves and the merges. It’s also not crowded and if people want to pass they just pass – it’s not like you get blown off the road if you choose to go the speed limit.
I guess I was thinking more westbound…coming of the GW parkway people keep up 60-70 until the stoplight.
ACPD sometimes hang out and pull ppl over..
I love going fast there. But if it’s crowded or rainy, I go slower. Word of advice: Do NOT ride the brakes downhill there. Put the car in a lowered-numbered (higher-revving) gear–probably 3, if you drive an automatic.
Dollars to donuts the Jeep person rode the brakes and skidded.
Engine breaking isn’t necessary better in situations with less than ideal traction. On a FWD car, its similar to riding the front brakes (while not touching the rear,) and on a RWD car its similar to riding with the parking brake on. It will increase your risk of fish tailing.
You’re wrong. I’ve driven A LOT in snow, ice, and driving rain, and I know what I’m talking about. Engine braking is nothing like riding the brakes. I have never fishtailed nor otherwise lost control while engine braking, and my car is RWD.
In fact, the only time (long ago) when I slid on some snow and hit a guardrail was when using the brakes instead of engine braking.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engine_braking
Improper engine braking technique can cause the wheels to skid (also called shift-locking), especially on slippery surfaces such as ice or snow, as a result of too much deceleration.
That only happens with an auto, or someone who dumps the clutch on a stick. As someone who’s done a lot of snow driving, engine braking when driving a manual is about the best trick in the book.
well aren’t you just a cool guy.
rode the brakes and skidded? umm, how about ABS.
60+ sounds like a bad driver
Ahh – let the ArlNow accident reconstruction crew begin the arm-chair analysis!
Probably not avoiding a deer …more likely just driving like a dumbass.
what, should we be working instead?
OK … give you +10 on that!
(and yeah, I’m avoiding the four letter ‘w’ word too)
Perhaps brown flip-flops slipped off the brake onto the gas.
Probably took the corner a bit too quickly, lost grip (4wd doesn’t help with that when you’re moving) possibly had bald or balding tires.. probably didn’t have idot systems (stability control) to save them…
Anyway, must have been scary for her.
“Her” ?
It’s too bad we can’t require a written test for re-certification of a driver’s license every five years and a road test every ten. Most people I know can barely remember the contents of any training they received two months ago, I can’t imagine any of them remember anything they supposedly learned two decades ago.
What are the factors associated with auto accidents? I wonder, is “written knowledge” a factor? I’d bet that DWI, speeding, distractions are major factors. When you hear heavy footsteps, look for an elephant, not a mouse.
Clearly the driver was from the Arlington Ridge area and mistook the Run for a slip lane.
Wow. Good thing the driver didn’t skid into Donaldson Run.
Donaldson Creek/Crick?
ITS A DECREASING RADIUS TURN. IF YOU GO INTO IT TO FAST YOU WILL GET INTO TROUBLE. YOU CAN SEE ALL THE SKID MARKS FROM CARS WHO WENT IN TOO HOT.
YOU CAN’T DRIVE A 4WD LIKE A SPORT CAR.
Received your message, am on the way. Please confirm address. Thank you!
probably happened because driver was driving jeep liberty. i rented one of those things once and it had all kinds of spooky-feeling stuff happening in the drive train — none of which happens w/ my AWD subaru. I witnessed one do a 360 one time on east river drive in philly, which granted can be slick when wet but the guy didn’t seem to be going fast and conditions weren’t that bad. And other that went wide on a gradual turn into the guardrail westbound near the Kennedy ctr. All anecdotal, but i would never buy one of those things
Short wheelbase, narrow side-to-side, topheavy, it has physics working against it.
how fast was this person going that they couldn’t bring their car under control thru all that grass?
Wet grass has about as much traction as ice and even ABS can’t save you there.
*puts on CSI hat*
The skid marks don’t appear to start in earnest until after the car was on the grass. I’d guess that even at a reasonable speed, after a moment of inattention, the driver could find themselves off the road and headed for the run without any ability to stop.
We all have lapses. We just hope they don’t happen at the most inopportune time.
that the driver was talking on a cellphone; doing whatever one does with an iPhone, or reading or sending a text message.
I won’t bet the farm, but I’d sure bet a buck.
I heard the driver was busy liking something on facebook