Teen Driver Causes Crash After Holding Breath Through Tunnel

It has been reported that a teen driver in Oregon caused a serious car accident yesterday after passing out while driving through a tunnel. He lost consciousness and his vehicle crossed the center line and struck a Ford Explorer nearly head-on. Four people were injured as a result of the accident. Apparently the driver was playing a game of trying to hold his breath while driving through the tunnel.

According to the Associated Press, the tunnel at issue is 772 feet long. Therefore, a car traveling 55 miles-per-hour would pass through the tunnel in about 10 seconds. I guess this Oregon teen driver is not very good at holding his breath? But seriously, the important issue here is that some drivers, teens in particular, are apt to play certain games while driving. I can remember a good friend of mine that would honk before crossing a cattle guard – to warn the trolls that lived there. There are lots of superstitions and games that get circulated among teen drivers. Teen drivers need as few distractions as possible. Hopefully this story can be shared with other young drivers to help them understand the consequences of unsafe driving. As the Oregon State Police tweeted, “Don’t play games on our roads.”