A crash in Fairfax County -- caught on viral video -- was so stunning that it's nearly unbelievable that everybody involved survived. Now, county officials are asking parents to use the video as a teachable moment for their kids.
The crash involved a teenage driver traveling over 120 miles per hour, before they spun out of control, traveled across the median, and slammed into a police cruiser and another car that had been pulled over for a traffic stop.
That parked car -- pulled over so the officer could issue a speeding ticket -- slammed into the metal highway barrier and the officer, who was standing at the passenger side window before he took off running to avoid the collision.
The teenager behind the wheel in the crash had only had the car for a few days. Now, the teen is facing reckless driving charges.
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"High performance cars are meant for high-performance environments," said Fairfax County Police Chief Bob Blakely. "And new drivers are not high-performance drivers."
The road was wet, traction was reduced, and there was a curve -- not the ideal conditions for driving.
Thankfully, none of the injuries were life-threatening.
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"In the last couple of years, traffic fatalities have increased 17% related to speed across the United States," Blakely said.
The total number of crashes are actually down -- but the fewer crashes remaining are deadlier.
"The three leading causes of traffic fatalities in the U.S. today are speeding, alcohol impairment and occupant protection" -- not wearing seatbelts, Blakely said.
The people in the two cars involved in the viral crash were wearing seatbelts, and it likely saved their lives.
The officer who was outside of his cruiser was saved by his awareness.
"When an officer pulls over a car, they have to worry about who's in the car, could they potentially be armed," Blakely said -- and the danger that awaits anyone stopped on the side of a busy highway.
"They have to worry about the 5,000 pound steel missiles coming up behind them," Blakely said.
The fact that everyone inside the cars survived is also likely a testament to advances in modern automotive engineering.
But despite sturdier, safer cars, it's not a good idea to test the laws of physics with life and limb in the balance.
Police are planning on increasing their presence on Fairfax County Parkway, with more enforcement of the rules of the road and more signage in the wake of the crash.