Local Accident involving a W124 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

pawoSD · #1 12-14-2005, 05:10 PM

This was on the front page of our local news station page when I went on it just a few mins ago

Pic:

From the article:

Three people injured in accident on I-96 in Grand Rapids

(Update, Grand Rapids, December 14, 2005, 4:15 p.m.) Two Kenowa Hills High School students and a third person were rushed to a hospital after being involved in a two-vehicle accident on I-96 in Grand Rapids.

The crash occurred just before noon Wednesday near Leonard Street and shut the highway down for more than three hours.

A truck driver who witnessed the accident told 24 Hour News 8 the students were traveling west in a Mercedes Benz.

He says the vehicle crashed into a guardrail, spun around, crossed the median, and collided with an SUV that was traveling in the eastbound lanes.

"It was unbelievable. And the car, after the collision, the Mercedes Benz kept rolling down the highway. It was smoking pretty bad…and I pulled the truck up and grabbed the fire extinguisher, and tried to help as much as I could," Dave Lazoski adds.

He says he sat with the unconscious teens until emergency crews arrived.

The driver of the SUV was also taken to a hospital.

Authorities continue to investigate the incident.

I'm pretty sure in any other car they'd have been not so lucky....

lietuviai · #2 12-14-2005, 05:30 PM

Several years ago I got spun into a guard rail with a Camry. It hit so hard that it spun around and the rear also hit the guard rail. I drove the thing home since no one stopped to even take a look what had happened. It was still drivable. It was totalled since it would have cost over 10K to fix.

Hatterasguy · #3 12-14-2005, 05:35 PM

Thats pretty amazing! From the pic it looks like the car did its job. The passenger compartment is still intact. Thats what matters.

dlssmith · #4 12-14-2005, 05:55 PM

It appears that anyone sitting in the rear would have been crushed. Front seat area looks pretty well intact.

pawoSD · #5 12-14-2005, 06:10 PM

There was a third person in the 124, I bet they were sitting on the drivers side rear though, the passenger side does look pretty smashed....lucky them...

BodhiBenz1987 · #6 12-14-2005, 06:21 PM

... keep in mind some of the damage in terms of doors being ripped off may have happened in the process of extracting the passengers.

But whoever wrote that article needs to know that it's Mercedes-Benz, not Mercedes Benz ... AP Stylebook no-no ...

Cressida · #7 12-14-2005, 08:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lietuviai

Several years ago I got spun into a guard rail with a Camry. It hit so hard that it spun around and the rear also hit the guard rail. I drove the thing home since no one stopped to even take a look what had happened. It was still drivable. It was totalled since it would have cost over 10K to fix.

I was walking through a junk yard today and specifically looked at the w124 doors and those on the Camry's to note differences in terms of side impact protection. I was surprised to find that the mid 90's Camry has the same size round interior door brace as on the Benz. Basically both doors have about a 2 inch round bar that runs horizontal across the door interior and it is attached on both ends with a lessor attachment in the middle area.

From the picture of the w124 it looks like either passenger side occupant would have suffered impact injuires. I've also examined a w126 that was T-boned and noted the "B" pilar was really caved into the occupant area - much more so than what I'd been led to believe if you listen to the MB faithful.

Based on the cars I've seen, a direct side impact is going to be bad news no mater what you are driving.

DslBnz · #8 12-14-2005, 10:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cressida

I was walking through a junk yard today and specifically looked at the w124 doors and those on the Camry's to note differences in terms of side impact protection. I was surprised to find that the mid 90's Camry has the same size round interior door brace as on the Benz. Basically both doors have about a 2 inch round bar that runs horizontal across the door interior and it is attached on both ends with a lessor attachment in the middle area.

From the picture of the w124 it looks like either passenger side occupant would have suffered impact injuires. I've also examined a w126 that was T-boned and noted the "B" pilar was really caved into the occupant area - much more so than what I'd been led to believe if you listen to the MB faithful.

Based on the cars I've seen, a direct side impact is going to be bad news no mater what you are driving.

That's strange. I have seen many T-Boned S-Class Mercs, and the W140/W126 seem to retain a very strong safety structure. The W220 is the one that seemed to be smashed in quite a bit more. The B-pillar did not cave in on the older S. SL's and SEC's are deathtraps from a side collision, naturally. I once saw an R129 that had been torn in half, wheels taken, and engine stored elsewhere. I felt like Atlas as I was able to easily pick up half the chassis of an R129 with my bare hands.

I used to scrounge for parts in Leominster, MA at the "yard". I saw 100's of wrecked Benz's. Mostly R129, and W124. Unfortunately, it is now closed off to the public due to thievary.

Question, which Merc is this?

DslBnz · #9 12-14-2005, 11:04 PM

Here's the worst side impact I've seen for a 126:

DslBnz · #10 12-14-2005, 11:11 PM

Also, I believe the US versions had stronger side protection than Euro versions. Besides the oversized bumpers, I thought I read that somewhere. I am unsure.

BodhiBenz1987 · #11 12-14-2005, 11:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DslBnz

Question, which Merc is this?

Is this a 202?

davestlouis · #12 12-14-2005, 11:38 PM

btw, the SUV was a base-model Escape, probably 2wd 4cylinder given that it has bare-bones steel wheels...

DslBnz · #13 12-14-2005, 11:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BodhiBenz1987

Is this a 202?

I don't know. Is it?

I'm not sure myself but I think it might be a 220 S-Class. I notice the spring towers and the seat design. But, maybe a 202? I don't know.

whunter · #14 12-14-2005, 08:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pawoSD

This was on the front page of our local news station page when I went on it just a few mins ago

Three people injured in accident on I-96 in Grand Rapids
(Update, Grand Rapids, December 14, 2005, 4:15 p.m.) Two Kenowa Hills High School students and a third person were rushed to a hospital after being involved in a two-vehicle accident on I-96 in Grand Rapids.

Is Black ice a possible cause???

pawoSD · #15 12-14-2005, 09:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whunter

Is Black ice a possible cause???

I wouldn't think it'd be a cause, the roads around here, especially the main roads/freeway have all been clear the past couple days up till this evening (it just started snowing again a short while ago...) Even the side streets don't really have all that much on them.

I pulled out of a michigan U-turn/turnaround tonight and went perfectly sideways across all three lanes to the turn lane I was intending to drive to with rear wheels a spinnin'. After a couple back and forth swerves/fishtailings I was going straight again. Wow.

I am so used to correcting the swerving's of the o'l 126 that I did it without even thinking....

It must have looked mighty strange to the oncoming traffic!

Hoping never to have to do THAT again. Especially with oncoming 40mph traffic. Stupid snow.

Whats needed are small rocket boosters on the back/sides/front of the car, so when a navigation computer detects slipping/sliding it fires the appropriate engines to correct/cancel out the momentum. "I cant stop!"...front engine fires....car comes to normal, assisted stop.

That would be pretty sweet......