Woman Dies After Swerving Car To Avoid Turtle

[matcom]

<snip>

INDIANTOWN, Fla. -- A 20-year-old woman who veered her car to avoid a turtle flipped the vehicle several times and died Tuesday, Florida Highway Patrol officials said.

Rachel Marie Martin of Sebring was traveling southeast on State Road 710 between Indiantown and Okeechobee in western Martin County when she suddenly turned away from a turtle crossing the roadway, according to an FHP report. The car overturned and landed in the middle of the road.

A passenger, 19-year-old Julie Christine Evans of Tampa, was treated and released from a local hospital. Martin's 1999 Oldsmobile SUV was totaled.

http://www.wftv.com/newsofthestrange/3477040/detail.html

[radwriter0555]

1. Terrorist turtles?

Oy.

[GOPisEvil]

2. How sad!

[Bertha Venation]

3. I'd've done the same thing -- that is, if I weren't paying attention

to the road in the first place. It's awfully hard to sneak up on a turtle.

[theivoryqueen]

8. Thanks you. I have personally rescued three turtles from Dallas roads

and released them at White Rock. They looked grateful.

[Loonman]

4. I knew a girl who swerved to avoid a dog and shattered her pelvis

In the process of totalling her car(flip and roll).

She wasn't the brightest bulb on the tree.

[King Of Paperboys]

5. It's them or us!

I drive 120 miles a night, on mostly rural roads, and I see LOTS of rabbits, mice, possum, raccoons and coyotes. I almost never swerve any more. It's tough on the suspension and alignment, and (as this woman demonstrated) far more dangerous than just plowing over them.

Sorry, but between the hours of 1:00am and 5:00am, the road is MINE. Get used to it.

[theivoryqueen]

6. hey - when ISN'T the road "ours"? I think we need to schedule time

for the animals to cross the road in safety. And if you don't drive fast, you don't need to swerve. You can safely brake. Imagine there are kids playing alongside every road you drive on. Then drive like you care if you kill one of them.

[King Of Paperboys]

9. If I don't drive fast,

You don't get your paper on time. You complain to the paper, I lose my route, and I kill animals for food, instead of for fun. How's that?

The proper time for animals (and kids) to play in the road is after I'm done delivering newspapers. That means after 5:00am. Not before.

[Mistress Quickly]

7. I always stop

and move turtles out of the road.

Don't know why, except they are so defenseless, poor things.

My kids will do the same when they are older I'm sure.

I am always having to pull over, or turn around and go back.

Now my conscience won't let me not do it.

I'm sure one day I'll be hit by a car doing it.

[TEXASYANKEE]

10. Sad.

What does that make it now ... Human: 1, Turtles: 6,395,296