Horrors of Street Racing on Route 18 Injures 2 Children and 5 Others

It's just dangerous and it's just stupid.  But, it seems to be growing in popularity.  It's street racing. 

And, thanks to this utterly stupid fad, 2 two year olds suffered serious injuries in a crash on Sunday, May 29, 2010 in New Bedford on Route 18.  

The New Bedford Standard Times reports that a total of 7 people were injured when 2 cars were racing at "extremely high rates of speed" on the southbound side of Route 18.  The drivers of the two cars, a 1993 Honda Civic and a 1994 Honda Accord were racing at about 1:00 pm when the Civic struck a third car, a 1999 Volkswagen Jetta. The driver of the Civic then lost control and struck the Honda, 

The impact of the crash was so severe that the engine of one of the cars was ripped from its engine compartment and was left lying in the roadway.

More importantly, though, is the human trauma that this thoughtless and ignorant conduct left: 2 two-year old boys injured, one of whom was reportedly air-lifted to Mass. General Hospital; another unbelted passenger in the Civic air-lifted to Rhode Island Hospital; two others transported by ambulance to St. Luke's Hospital; and, one other air-lifted to Mass. General. 

According to reports, the operators of the Civic and Accord are being cited for numerous infractions including speeding, marked lane violations and racing. 

Illegal street racing accidents often have dire consequences, not only to the participants, but to other innocent drivers, passengers and bystanders. Here, though, the tragedy of illegal street racing now extends to precious children who were placed in danger by simply being passengers in the street racers' autos.

 Source: The Standard Times