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wreckwriter
10-13-2008, 12:49 PM
sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-1013pompanofatal,0,6823057.story
South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com
Pompano woman, 90, killed driving new sports car

By Rafael A. Olmeda

SunSentinel.com

3:04 PM EDT, October 13, 2008

POMPANO BEACH

A 90-year-old woman was killed when she stepped on the gas pedal of her new sports car instead of the brake, slamming the vehicle into a pole, a Broward Sheriff's Office spokesman said today.

The woman, Maria Brunetti, of Pompano Beach, hadn't owned the 2009 Dodge Challenger for long because it only had 151 miles on the odometer, said spokesman Mike Jachles.

Brunetti was trying to turn east onto McNab Road from southbound South Andrews Avenue at about 10 a.m. Sunday when she apparently accelerated instead of braking, Jachles said.

The car hit a concrete pole and burst into flames.

Some good Samaritans pulled Brunetti out of the car and rescued her son, Peter Brunetti, 47, Jachles said.

Both were taken to North Broward Medical Center, where the mother was pronounced dead and the son was in serious condition.

Jachles said the mother and son were wearing seatbelts.

Copyright © 2008, South Florida Sun-Sentinel
GRRRR8
10-13-2008, 12:50 PM
Granny in a Challenger? There is no hope for me then!
sultech
10-13-2008, 01:02 PM
i foresee a recall.. something about them bursting into flames on impact
Steve
10-13-2008, 01:19 PM
yeah that's definitely weird.. i've seen major wrecks where there's barely any car left yet no flames.. but ramming a post, not only sets the car on fire but also kills the driver?? what the heck...
ChipC
10-13-2008, 04:22 PM
Unfortunately, the impact is not what always what kills an elderly driver (or passenger). They may die from a stress-induced heart attack or bleed out due to their bodies being more delicate.
GRRRR8
10-13-2008, 04:24 PM
Very true. Very prone to broken necks also due to airbag deployment.
GeorgeInNePa
10-13-2008, 05:10 PM
[jackie stewart]and he bursts into flames![/jackie stewart]
wreckwriter
10-13-2008, 05:37 PM
you know what though? When I'm 90, in the unlikely event i get there, i think I might rather go out riding a telephone pole than an IV pole.....
GeorgeInNePa
10-13-2008, 05:42 PM
heh, heh, ha, he said "riding the pole"
G8GTlawride
10-13-2008, 05:58 PM
I have worked many of these over the years and it is not the severity of the crash that is the problem but the suddeness of the stop. Especially in the elderly. They are too fragile to sustain the sudden stop. The longer the crash takes to occur the better the chance for survival. Cars are designed to crush, crumple or whatever else we wish to describe the event. But in the end it is the sudden stop that kills.
R.Penguin
10-13-2008, 07:19 PM
you know what though? When I'm 90, in the unlikely event i get there, i think I might rather go out riding a telephone pole than an IV pole.....
I'll second that thought, and if I make it to 90 I'll go out 'cause it got a bit "loose" at 195 MPH in the rain. :p
GRRRR8
10-14-2008, 06:21 AM
^^^^ I hope to be that lucky! ^^^^
PostalCherokee
10-18-2008, 02:36 PM
90??????? What in the hell does a 90 year old woman need with a sports car!!!!!!!! I'm sorry if I sound like a dick, but I'm one of those that believes once you make it into say your 70's you should be checked often to see that you're capable of driving safely. I've seen a few elderly people behind the wheel that have NO business driving.
jnak
10-18-2008, 03:06 PM
90??????? What in the hell does a 90 year old woman need with a sports car!!!!!!!! I'm sorry if I sound like a dick, but I'm one of those that believes once you make it into say your 70's you should be checked often to see that you're capable of driving safely. I've seen a few elderly people behind the wheel that have NO business driving.

I agree...but then again, I've seen a lot of teenagers who also have NO business driving.
PostalCherokee
10-18-2008, 08:08 PM
No doubt, teens can be very irresponsible.