Four car pile-up blamed on cell phone

WASILLA -- Driving in the Valley can be challenging enough when the driver's concentration is focused completely on the road. Most drivers, being honest, would report at least one narrow escape following a moment's lapse of attention. Even a split second's

distraction, however, can be catastrophic.

John Dalman, 17, of Wasilla learned this lesson the hard way on Tuesday when, according to Alaska State Trooper reports, he reached down to retrieve the cellular telephone that he had dropped while driving. In that moment when his attention was on his cell phone and not the road, disaster struck.

Dalman was reportedly driving east on Bogard Road in a 1986 Buick Century when the accident occurred. He dropped the phone and, in reaching for it, he allegedly failed to see the 1990 Pontiac Sunbird stopped in front of him to make a turn onto Copper Creek.

Dalman's car struck the Sunbird, which was driven by Austin Rauch, 15, of Wasilla, from the rear, causing it to veer into oncoming traffic.

Jacob Boothby, 20, of Wasilla was driving west on Bogard when the Sunbird hit his 1999 Mitsubishi Eclipse. Boothby was forced into a 1994 Isuzu Rodeo, driven by Susan Bollock, 40, of Wasilla. Bollock was stopped at the Copper Creek and Bogard intersection, waiting to turn onto Bogard, when her car was hit.

Troopers reported that all occupants in the cars were wearing seat belts at the time of the accident. All drivers and passengers except for Dalman were taken to Valley Hospital to be treated for injuries received in the pile-up.

According to Battalion Chief Michael Keenan of the Central Mat-Su Fire Department, about a dozen emergency personnel responded to the accident scene.

"We had two ambulances, heavy rescue and an engine," said Keenan on Wednesday, explaining that the rescue truck carries equipment such as the "Jaws of Life" necessary to get victims out of wreckage.

Keenan said that rescuers used the Jaws at the scene to remove two doors from one of the cars in order to free a woman passenger pinned inside.

"This was a rough one for us," added Keenan. "One of our own firefighters, Jacob Boothby, was in the third car involved in the accident."

Boothby, who was treated and released at Valley Hospital, remains on crutches and off duty as a result of his injuries, according to Keenan. One victim who was taken in an ambulance as a Code Red complained of chest pains at the scene. No information was available for the condition of the other injured people at press time.

Traffic was halted on Bogard Road for about 45 minutes following the incident while emergency responders worked at the scene. The total damage estimated for all cars involved in the accident was $41,000. Dalman reportedly was issued a uniform traffic citation for negligent driving.

Driver inattention

a common culprit

According to the National Safety Council, anything that takes a driver's concentration off the road increases the possibility of a collision. At 55 miles per hour, a vehicle travels the length of a football field in 3.7 seconds -- less time, oddly enough, than it takes to dial a phone number.

Greg Wilkinson, information officer for the Alaska State Troopers, cites recent statistics from the Alaska Department of Transportation showing driver inattention as a major cause of traffic accidents in Alaska.

In 1999, Alaska DOT records reflect that 2,300 accidents, including 13 fatalities, or 17.7 percent of all traffic accidents in Alaska, were caused by driver inattention. The only human error causing more accidents than driver inattention was driving at unsafe speeds.

In 2000, the statistics for driver inattention rose to 19.4 percent and 2,560 accidents. Again, driving at unsafe speeds was the only human error causing more accidents than driver inattention.

While Wilkinson pointed out that DOT does not reflect the percentage of accidents caused by driver inattention related to cell phone use, the National Safety Council cautions that America's growing enchantment with cellular mobile phones in autos, vans, RV's and trucks brings with it the need for renewed emphasis on safe driving practices.