It was recently reported that the female driver of a Tesla car was found guilty of being involved in a road rage incident on Highway 400 near Simcoe Road 89 north of Toronto. Alicia Beerdat reportedly pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death after she interfered with a Chevrolet Equinox that attempted to pass her using the left shoulder of the “fast lane”. It was described that both drivers had been weaving and interfering with each other prior to the final result when the Equinox travelled through the median barrier and was struck by a pick-up truck travelling in the other direction.
It is revealing how the results of collisions are often described with incomplete focus on the factors that matter. While it is important to inform the public about incidents of road rage, other issues, such as suspect road barrier performance, is also important. No one has mentioned that the concrete barrier shown in the above photo is there to protect from vehicles crossing into the opposing lanes of a major expressway such as Highway 400. The barrier is designed to deflect an impacting vehicle and keep it scraping along the barrier until the vehicle comes to a gradual stop. We ought to know that some large and tall vehicles can sometimes tip over such a barrier and rollover but even then there is substantial contact with the barrier. Thus occupants of heavy trucks and large buses are in danger when this occurs. Such bad results are rarely discussed.
However a Chevrolet Equinox is not a large or tall vehicle. A barrier like this was likely tested with this type of vehicle in mind. So what happened? This is something that official news media ought to be aware of, they should question police investigators and this should be reported to the public.
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