One Man Killed, Two Others Hospitalized in Two-vehicle Wreck
According to KSWO, a man was killed and two others hospitalized after a head-on crash between two vehicles near Konawa, Oklahoma, on Thursday morning.
Details of Fatal Accident
Cody Franklin, 28, and Justin Peterson, 34, were driving westbound on State Highway 39, southeast of Konawa when the car crash occurred. Officials say at around 5:30 a.m. their vehicle crossed over the center dividing line and was hit by a truck traveling east.
Peterson, the driver, died at the scene of the accident, according to KSWO. Franklin was airlifted to OU Medical Center after sustaining critical injuries in the crash. The driver of the truck, 64-year-old Ricky Barrett, was trapped in his vehicle for around 15 minutes before rescue crews could extricate him. He was transported to the hospital with an apparent leg injury.
Officials say the accident occurred in a no passing zone, but it is unclear if Peterson was attempting to pass another vehicle. All of the occupants involved in the wreck were wearing seatbelts, reports KSWO.
Motor Vehicle Traffic Accident Statistics
The following information is provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA):
- 35,092 people were killed in motor vehicle wrecks on U.S. roadways in 2015.
- This is an increase of 7.2 percent from 2014 – the largest increase in nearly 50 years.
- An estimated 2.44 million people were injured in motor vehicle accidents in 2015.
- 105,000 more people sustained injuries in crashes in 2015 compared to 2014.
- Fatal multiple-vehicle crashes increased by 11.2 percent from 2014.
