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Mark Humphrey / AP
A firefighter works at a crash site on Thursday in Hendersonville, Tenn. One person was dead and several were injured in a chain-reaction crash.
A small car plowed into the back of a mail truck early Thursday, killing one person in one of several chain-reaction collisions of 50 cars on a fogbound highway near Nashville.
The name of the deceased victim has been identified as 28-year-old Paul Warren of Hendersonville, Tenn.
Police were treating the incident as four separate wrecks that all happened within the span of a few minutes in Hendersonville, Tenn.
Hendersonville police say the series of wrecks began at 6:56 a.m. Traffic stopped and another pile-up happened. The third pile-up was the one that caused Warren's death. The fourth crash happened shortly thereafter.
The wrecks covered a two-mile stretch of Vietnam Vets Boulevard, beginning roughly at the bridge over Gallatin Road and ending close to the Saundersville Road exit.
Read the original story on WSMV
Thick fog and black ice are possible factors in the crashes. A Hendersonville police lieutenant says there was black ice on the roadway, but investigators have not determined that to be the official cause of the pileup.
16 others injured
Eight people were taken to Hendersonville Medical Center with minor injuries and later released, according to hospital spokeswoman Shawna Zodi.
Eight other people, two children and six adults, were transported to Sumner Regional Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries.
As the fog lifted, damaged vehicles could be seen along a couple of miles of Vietnam Veterans Parkway in Hendersonville.
"I would compare it to a racetrack when there's been a pileup," said Ray McLaughlin, a district chief with the Hendersonville Fire Department. "Everyone started bouncing off one another."
The chief said emergency workers counted 179 vehicles stopped at the crash scene, 50 of which had collided.
Other than the one death, most of the injuries were neck and back complaints, McLaughlin said.
One school bus was involved, but no children were hurt, said Sgt. Jim Vaughn with Hendersonville police.
People involved in the wreck who were not injured were taken to the Sumner County Administration building in Gallatin.
Traffic returned to normal at about 12:30 p.m.
This article includes reporting from NBC station WSMV in Nashville and The Associated Press.
More news and feature stories from msnbc.com:
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yes that fog and black ice is a deadly mix. Black ice by its self is bad enough,but fog and people who think they don't have to slow down make for some real pain for a lot of folks. But rules apply to others not me , huh? They never learn until it is too late.
If I could vote more than once you'd have a million check-marks.
Still, it says something for the safety of our modern cars. I wonder how many would have died 50 yrs ago? They didn't even wear (or have) seat belts back then, never mind crumple zones.
Thick ice and Fog may have been a factor in the tailgate capitol....
I drive that road to and from school at night. That fog was insanely thick this morning. I don't do that route in the morning, but we generally fly on it. Tailgating is definitely horrible too, I don't want to jump to conclusions but thats what I'd say if I had to guess. You could barely see twenty feet in front of you, people should have been crawling.
I was a professional semi driver for 12 years and I can tell you I40 between Memphis and Knoxville is always jammed up. What alot of people fail to comprehend is that while driving in fog (along with all of the normal precautions) is that fog actually gives the illusion that youre driving slower than you actually are, so people tend to speed up. also, alot of people think they should turn on their high beams to see better, when in fact, your headlights actually reflect off of the fog. I had to go to traffic school a couple of years ago to get out of a ticket, and the instructor actually told people to roll down the window and stick their heads out in fog to see better! lol1 Don't ever do that- you tend to steer in the same direction as your head!
50 years ago people did not have cell phones, dvd players, gps systems, the false security modern cars give, etc.
People actually paid attention to their driving unlike today.
I have driven in most major cities in the US, and TN is the state with the scariest drivers. I'm not surprised at this happening. I drove from VA to Nashville in an ice storm that started after I had started my trip and I was a nervous wreck by the time I arrived at my destination because of the TN drivers. They just don't slow down.
As a truck driver the worst mistake people consistently make is following distance. Your traveling on a highway doing 65 or better and many are leaving less then half the needed stopping distance needed to prevent a collision with another vehicle in front of them. Any kind of reduced visibility creates a situation where following distance must be increased even more to prevent such pileups. In the end the better choice is to wait for conditions to improve.
Men drivers!
WHAT ! No WOMEN drivers involved ?
Men/women, really makes no difference. There is no gender basis when it comes to jerks on the road. I always get a kick out of how the media tries to be politically correct and blame "bad weather" when the real cause is "bad drivers".
Fog and ice? Be careful and safe.
Ok, who stopped!! Crazy. In Calif. in the early days 1970 on the Freeway from Garden Grove to Bakersfield it was foggy. Back then the speed limit was 65 and everyone went 70+. It scaired the c--p out of me driving for 1 1/2 hrs. in the fog. With everyone going 60 or better and all you could see was the persons tail lights in front of you at only 20 feet distance. If someone stopped it was all over. I will never do that again. And I was young and foolish at age 18. Don't know how I lived through that experience for that length of time.
In reality the roads should be closed in this situation. But we all know people would be upset if they cannot go to work. The risk of course is a major pileup because people travel too close together and too fast for conditions. They leave at the same time everyday some always running behind and speeding to make up time. We have all seen it repeat itself over and over. For such intelligence as humans have its amazing how we continue to risk our lives repeatedly making the same mistakes over and over again. I am sure the young man who died in this crash never thought twice that what he was doing was unsafe and risky.
before I read the article, I thought maybe they had a snow flurry!
I'm in a hurry, I don't know why but I have to get there now! Geez, I hope everybody in front of me is driving safely. People just never learn.
those ahead were driving safely, they were driving more slowly so they wouldn't get in trouble. But your sarcasm is noted.
IF you are in such a hurry to get somewhere to drive like an idiot in fog, snow, or ice.....best advice is..Start Earlier!!! one dead....how many injured??? and for what? to save a few minutes to get coffee???
not coffee, dog fights.
Good thing the director of Final Destination wasn't there or every single car would have exploded.
No kinding! Speed and ignorance were factors also.
So I guess you were there huh Panhandler??? Speaking of ignorance, take a long look in the mirror tonight before you go to bed and think about how you would feel if it were you hurting from losing a loved one in this accident
Me,
Comprehension must not be one of your stronger traits. I fixed my screwed up LONG before (look at comment #10) you showed your ignorance. I know that makes you look, well you know. Thoughts and prayers to all involved. How's that Me-4467953? Now go to bed, you have to go to school in the A.M.
That's great Mike..thanks. This particular accident happens to be personal to me so if anyone thinks I am ignorant for my comments, oh well. Yeah, you're right..somebody may have slowed down & paid more attention today while driving from reading your comment or mine. Someone else may have been reminded to be a little more compassionate with their comments next time they read about something like this too. Either way, I do happen to comprehend just fine even after 12hr nursing shifts, being Mommy, and as you said, school. Oops, gotta go..almost bedtime
Cry me a river, Me! Don't start none, won't be none.
That would be kidding not kinding. WTF?
was anyone texting?
Remember driving through Henderson before. What I don't remember if this town was in the moutains too.Help someone..
hendersonville...lot different than henderson.
Not in the mountains no.
and to think people say those in California can't drive.
People in Jersey in CA do drive better because with more cars, people MUST be aware, I have more problems in other areas than in places like the Northeast or California, because of this. Sucks for the injured and the fatality though, My heart really goes out.
Condolensces and prayers go to the victim's loved ones and hope that the wound have God-speed recovery.
Please slow down drivers, if the visibility is coming down... Release the gas pedal.
I'm sorry for the fatality but the rest of this story doesn't get much sympathy from me. I've driven for a number of years in this area and most of these drivers are from Sumner County and are notorious speed demons both along Vietnam Veterans Parkway and I-65. Maybe now they'll slow down a little bit?
Rick, sadly I doubt they will learn. They never do. Everyone thinks the rules apply to everyone else and not to them. Unfortunately there was a death involved.
For all of you taking your time to post a heartless comment and have no sympathy, please remember that a young man of only 28 years, just married 6 weeks ago, lost his life in this tragic accident. Plain & simple..it was an accident. I live in this area and visibility from the fog was about 15 feet at the most. No one was excessively speeding, or driving close to the speed limit because the fog was so heavy. Accidents happen people so if we're speaking of ignorance, reflect on your own ignorant words. There are people mourning the loss of their son, brother, husband...A HUMAN BEING & CHILD OF GOD!! For goodness sake, if you're going to take time to make any comment, turn it into a prayer for those who are hurting..cause none of us know if we'll be mourning a loss tomorrow, or even an hour from now.
I somehow think I love you, Me-4467952....My family lost A sister, daughter, she was 19. If people don't understand, realty will come....Prayer's for the family of the young man lost!
You're totally right. If it was someone I loved I would be heartbroken by my earlier post. But...it's not so lighten up ME-4467952! We're not gods we're human...flaws and all.
So is that why, Fair and Reasonable, your post was about MEN drivers? Yea, that's so very fair and reasonable. When it is a loved one of yours, I hope you have people around you that will help heal your broken heart because yep, we're human! Emotions, flaws & all. I don't feel that I need to lighten up..mean, insensitive people just tick me off when they make jokes that stem from a tragedy. If that's your flaw as a human then please for the sake of those hurting, keep it to yourself unless it is actually a "Fair and Reasonable" opinion.
:) Road Agent thank you for your prayers. You & your family have mine as well. May she rest peacefully:) Prayer is truly healing & I am blessed to have learned that while I'm still young!!
More love in our hearts never hurts either, even if we don't believe in the power of prayer.....can we all just get along??...and be a lil' bit less selfish? Obviously there will always be lessons learned from accidents, fatal or minor. The reality of learning how to cope with any death, young or old, does very much suck in some ways, but then you find how you will learn from it. Just a little more gentleness & kind words please
Excuse me for seeming heartless, but if no one was driving at excessive speed for the conditions I am curious as to how one person was killed and 16 hospitalized. We cannot keep making excuses for reckless behavior and expect things to improve. I understand that many people may have slowed down, but they were hit by the speeders.
Small car vs truck that seems pretty self explanatory...never been in an accident have you? A 35 mph sudden stop hurts. But you sound beyond us mortals...
I was once rear ended at probably less than 10 MPH. Nice jolt and a very stiff neck. The EMT crew said that if I chose to drive home or to the ER (4 miles) that I was medically on my own. Being strapped to a board isn't fun or comfortable.
Sucks for the families, how close was these pile ups to those TSA roadblocks they started to set up there that began in October?????? That may have something to do with this. The border Patrol closed one down in New York State b/c of this type of stuff. Just sayin. Civil Liberties gone doesn't necessarily mean safer roads. Marinate on that one.
JJ , it had nothing to do with any roadblocks. I live in Hendersonville and haven't seen any around here.
Flat out, this was a horrible accident brought on by fog and possible black ice. I work 5 miles from my home and thankfully do not have to drive the V V B to get to work. However, the fog was so bad, it took my almost 20 minutes to arrive.
Fog and ice-text and drive, oops you did it again.
Stupid drivers just like in Minneapolis. Two weeks ago there were more than 400 accidents in one day and I'll bet most of them were because of people driving like it's the 8th of July - regardless of the weather and traffic conditions. Most were driving way too fast and way too close for the conditions and no matter how many times the highway patrol urges people to slow down and keep a safe distance, these words fall on deaf ears. Today we had less than an inch of snow and there were 19 accidents - again because of idiot drivers.
to many miles on the road for me and too many near accidents in bad weather. In bad winter weather I call in and stay at home. In heavy fog or rain I just slow down, If I am late, I am late but still alive.
Some redneck d/n turn on his headlights again. Good ol TN!!!
Such an admiral display of Yankee ingenuity and brevity. The sum total of your acquired knowledge in two statements. Perhaps a visit to TN would allow you a chance to expound your merits in a more personal way. Y'all come down ,ya hear.
Not turning on your headlights is one thing, but to paint all of Tennessee with your broad brush is flat out ignorant.
another case of following too close. Fog or no fog.....people drive like idiots out there and it's only getting worse. Try passing someone without the car behind you riding your tail the whole way only to almost run you off the road as you switch back to the right lane. I'd say it's natural selection at work again, but sometimes it affects the good drivers too.
Can't hardly wait for iowas snow, ice and wind. After the first one or two storms people get their winter driving skills up to snuff.
Texting,driver conversing with passengers and trying to look at the person while driving,TAIL GATING up to the stop lights and other traffic signals,eating and doing cosmetics (Multi-tasking).These are all examples of accident cause.I have been a victim twice in 2011 of irresponsible drivers.Teen drivers should be licensed at 18,not 16.And then only after displaying the intellect of a safe driver.I sympathize with the loved ones of these who were so needlessly taken away or injured.Each time ,if you drive,leave a reasonable space between your vehicle and the one in front of yours,just in case some nut case rear-ends your vehicle,maybe you will not in turn hit the one in front of you.May God protect all.
NEVER HAD TO HAPPEN - Our government DOES NOT CARE about its people other than to continue to find ways of taking our money and not looking out for our best intrests. They put in red light cameras in the name of public saftey and never even considering making the car manufacturer's put in radar/laser braking systems and these things wouldnt even hapen we would not be here reading and commenting on some other families sadness at this time of year