Three Killed, One Child Injured in Head-on Car Crash

According to WKRN, three people died in a car crash and a six-year-old child was injured in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, on Wednesday night.

Details of Fatal Car Wreck

The deadly car accident occurred at around 8:30 p.m. local time on Salem Pike near Armstrong Valley Road. Officials say an eastbound SUV was hit by a vehicle traveling west that suddenly crossed over the center dividing line.

The two cars collided head-on, the impact causing both vehicles to spin around and land facing opposite directions. WKRN reports 59-year-old Ronald Smith, the driver of the vehicle that crossed the center line, died in the crash. In addition, the driver and front seat passenger of the other SUV, 44-year-old Michael Collins and 34-year-old Suzanne Collins, were also killed in the collision.

A six-year-old boy in the backseat of the Collins’ vehicle was injured in the crash, reports WKRN. The child was properly restrained in the vehicle, which may have saved him from more severe injuries. According to WGNS, the three people who died in the wreck were not wearing a safety belt.

Motor Vehicle Traffic Crash Statistics

The following information is provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA):

• 35,092 people died in motor vehicle wrecks on U.S. roadways in 2015.
• An estimated 2.44 million people suffered injuries 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.