A 2013 Toyota Corolla, driven by Sarah Wallace, 32, of South Bend, was traveling behind Wells, the release added, and it was also stopped or slowing down for the same red light.
In the back seat of Wallace’s vehicle were her two children, Cecilia Wallace, 2, and Leo Wallace, 6 months, whom police say were both properly strapped into child safety seats.
Traveling behind Wallace’s vehicle was a 2016 Volvo semi-tractor pulling an empty enclosed semi-trailer, and police say the driver — Andrew King, 35, of Rochester — failed to stop for the red light, rear-ending Wallace’s car and forcing it into the back of Wells’.
The impact of that collision killed Leo. . . 6-month old killed in Miami County crash
Because the bottom of a truck is higher than the bumper of passenger vehicles, when there is a collision the smaller vehicle easily slides under the truck and the first point of impact is the windshield. Seatbelts, airbags, and car crumple zones do not function as intended in underride crashes —front, side, and rear — leaving passenger vehicle occupants vulnerable to life-threatening injuries.
Leo Wallace, Precious One Gone Too Soon
See Underride Crash Memorials posted here and at #STOPunderrides Tweets. To add photos or more information on this story or to add other underride crashes to be remembered, send an email to underridemap@gmail.com. Please use this Interactive Underride Crash Map Crash Location Input Form to provide us with accurate information . (Note: the map is currently not online; but we would keep the information for future updating and to aid in underride advocacy efforts.)
Support improving Underride Protection on trailers: Contact your legislators with this User-Friendly TAKE ACTION online tool.
Please sign this petition: Congress, Act Now To End Deadly Truck Underrides.
Note: In order to raise awareness and preserve the memories of underride victims — precious ones gone too soon — I have been writing memorial posts on what appear to me to be underride crashes. I am not a crash reconstructionist, and I do not have all the facts on these crashes; but I think that underride should be investigated as a potential factor in truck crash injuries and deaths.
