Ford F-150 driver somehow not dead after truck falls off 300-foot cliff – Jalopnik

It may be true that they don’t build cars like they used to, but despite so many boomers insisting that this is a bad thing, that’s actually not the case. New cars are so much safer than they used to be, it’s not even a competition. Right now, the types of accidents you can survive as long as you wear your seat belt are absolutely astonishing. Take, for example, this recent Ford F-150 crash in Colorado our friends Road and rail found. Despite falling 300 feet, the driver escaped with minimal injuries.

According to the Facebook post below from the Ouray Mountain Rescue Team, the driver went off the side of US Highway 550 between mile markers 88 and 89 and fell into the Uncompahgre River Gorge. Highway 550 is known as the “Million Dollar Highway” and offers an absolutely beautiful drive that truly lives up to its name. As beautiful as the views are, trying to appreciate them from the driver’s seat is a recipe for disaster, as the tight turns and lack of guardrails mean you could easily end up exactly like this F-150 driver (or worse). It was great in a Mini, but I don’t know if I’d want to do it in a full-size pickup.

As you can see from the photos provided, rescuers had to descend the edge of the cliff to rescue the driver, who was somehow still alive after falling into the gorge. Currently, it’s unclear if they were treated at a hospital and what their injuries were, but given the condition of their truck, they’re probably just glad they didn’t die. Hopefully they also appreciate the hard work that automotive engineers have put into making their cars as safe as they are today.

It should come as no surprise that this F-150 driver is far from the only person to crash on the Million-Dollar Highway this year. CBS News reports that on August 5, two adults were killed when their Honda Civic left the road at mile marker 88 and ended up upside down in the river. When a rescue crew arrived on the scene, they were able to save a child who had survived the crash. Authorities later released their names, confirming that 42-year-old Louis Michael and 79-year-old Leoba Valdez died in the crash. So far, authorities have not released the child’s name, presumably because she is a child.

According to CBS NewsTwo days later, a 78-year-old woman drove off the road about three miles from the scene of the accident that killed Michael and Valdez, but she survived. Later, on August 23, a 65-year-old woman died when her motorcycle veered off the road and fell into the gorge. There aren’t many guardrails along Highway 550, but an area with guardrails recently showed how important they can be. On September 30, a driver of a Toyota Sienna hit a boulder, hit the hill and then slid into the guardrail, preventing it from falling more than 800 feet.

So why doesn’t the Million-Dollar Highway have more guardrails? As CBS News explained:

Snow plows reportedly need the open edge to push off large amounts of snow that fall onto the roadway each winter. The Colorado Department of Transportation regularly closes the highway during the season to allow dangerous snow to fall from the mountainside above the road. Crews then quickly clear the roadway instead of loading and towing it away.

Stay safe out there, wear your seat belt and if you see an automotive engineer, don’t forget to thank him for making a 300 foot fall into a canyon possible.