We’ve tried highlighting the many ways the car theft trend that’s been sweeping many communities is affecting people. Among them are higher rates of other crimes, increased insurance rates, and long wait times to have recovered vehicles repaired. But there’s a less common effect that played out in Independence, Missouri recently when some teens in a stolen Chevy Equinox crashed into a truck, then a Good Samaritan who stopped to help them was hit and killed.
Watch Good Samaritans rescue a mom and her kids.
Sometimes when you’re doing the right thing you suffer awful consequences, which certainly seems to the case here for the unnamed Good Samaritan. He came across the crashed Chevy at about 2 am on November 6 on eastbound I-70.
That Good Samaritan had stopped to help with the crash when he was hit and killed by another car. Even wearing high-visibility vests and using flares, police officers are far too often hit in the same types of situations.
Sadly, one of the five teens who were joyriding in the Equinox died when it left the highway, hit a rock embankment, flipped back onto I-70, then collided with a Ford F-150, says KCTV5. The other four teens had to be hospitalized.
We’re not saying you shouldn’t stop and help if someone’s been in an accident. But sometimes visibility issues or a high speed limit makes getting out of your vehicle to assist others an incredibly risky endeavor. We know some people will do it anyway, especially if they know kids are hurt, and that’s certainly their choice.
It’s a good idea to keep at least a flashlight in your car so if you do get out for any reason you’re more likely to be seen by other drivers. Flares, reflective triangles, and other visibility gear aren’t a bad idea to have on hand as well.
Image via Independence Police Department
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