What we have are two very different, separate accidents, resulting in the same bad results. Know that nobody was seriously hurt in these horrific crashes. One is with a Ford Escape smashing into a garage housing a C4 Corvette that, unfortunately, lost its top, though the driver was OK. The other involved a Ford Mustang GT that saw infliction done to itself, again with most of its top removed. 

How did the Corvette accident happen?

The Corvette versus Ford Escape crash happened in St. Louis, Missouri. According to KMOV4, a woman was driving the Escape when “something happened with the accelerator.” Barreling into and through the garage, the Escape climbed over and sheared off much of the Corvette’s top. It is not known if the Corvette garage was the Ford driver’s garage. Whether a distraction or mechanical issue with the accelerator pedal, in the end, both cars were seriously damaged without serious injuries. 

Incredibly, another top-shearing incident happened in Anaheim, California. This time it was a Mustang GT plowing under a semi-truck trailer. Fortunately for the driver, the passenger side of the top took the brunt, bending up the top above his head. 

How did the Mustang GT accident happen?

No information is available about the cause of the crash, other than the aftermath shown on the OnScene TV YouTube channel. Supposedly, two other vehicles were part of this mess. Other drivers helped the Mustang driver get out of his tangled Mustang. 

When you look at the video and images from the rear of the Mustang, it looks to have slid almost entirely under the truck. Only a portion of the driver’s side rear end is still in sunlight. And in the front views, the skid marks clearly show the Mustang did a lazy slide into the trailer. Yet, there was enough friction on that driver’s side rear tire to obliterate it. 

How many tractor-trailer accidents like this happen?

Both drivers are extremely lucky to be alive. Though “Mansfield Bars” on the rear of trucks prevent vehicles from ramming completely under them, there is nothing to prevent this from happening from the side. But the end result of an accident like that which spawned the Mansfield bars is as serious of a threat. 

While we’re not advocating new laws for such a device on the sides of trailers, it is still a big problem. According to California statistics from 2020, 74% of fatal semi-truck accidents involve tractor-trailers. It is unknown how many of those involve accidents like the one involving the Mustang. Stay safe out there.