Report: Corzine's State Trooper Driver Was Speeding
This just in from the Newark Star-Ledger's blog:
"State Police are preparing to release a report that will say the trooper who was driving Gov. Jon Corzine during a serious accident Thursday was speeding at the time, two sources who have been briefed on the report's contents told The Star-Ledger today."
"They declined to be identified because the report — which could be released as early as this afternoon — has not been made public by the State Police."
Update: The Ledger reports that Corzine's SUV was going at an estimated 91 miles per hour five seconds before impact, over 25 mph above the official limit of 65 mph, and fast even by the "unofficial" limits of New Jersey highways. At the time of impact with the guard rail, the SUV was going at an estimated 30 mph.
I think among State Police drivers for politicians, speeding is pretty routine. FWIW, I think State Police drivers would be better off enforcing the seatbelt law in their vehicle than the speeding law.
April 17, 2007 2:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
"Speeding is pretty routine" for probably 50% of all drivers -- "I Can't Drive 55" -- or 65 for that matter.
The word "speeding" should be banned from the news. Two car accidents "caused" by "speeding" so-called are almost always the result of significant "variation" between the speeds of the involved vehicles.
If the trooper (and the Governor who is responsible for the actions of his chauffeur) were driving 15-20 mph faster than other vehicles, they were wrong -- and most probably, caused the accident.
April 17, 2007 2:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
April 17, 2007 3:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
I was slightly surprised to hear about the accident since I assumed the Governor's in the North East would pack heavier security due to traffic and visibility (drive-bys, accidents, the terra, etc.) - I've been on I95 in DE when PA Gov Rendell's convoy has zipped by at well over 80mph. Now, maybe this was due to an out of state trip (he was in Wilmington that evening), but he had two large unmarked trooper SUVs to the front and two to the back, at least, with every light flashing, and his Tahoe in the middle, alltogether taking up at least a quarter mile line if not longer. He might travel fast, but he seemed to be safer with a clear path. Of course, he may have had his seatbelt on.
April 17, 2007 3:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
No matter the state of adhesion leave adequate space between yours and the other vehicle -- that is, drive at the same speed -- and you're unlikely to be involved in a "two car accident."
April 17, 2007 3:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
Sorry to quibble here, but while you're right that "adequate space" is the issue -- i.e., space must be adequate to allow for sufficient reaction time -- the adequacy is a function of your speed, not your speed relative to the other driver. The faster you are going, the more space you need to leave between you and other cars -- hence, the usual statement of the rule as the "2-second rule", i.e., leave 2 seconds of space (rather than a distance).
You can drive at the same speed as the car in front of you and be 2 feet, or 2 miles behind. If you are varying your speed relative to the other car, the amount of space will likewise vary.
April 17, 2007 3:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
If I recall correctly, news reports suggested that there was at least one other state police-type vehicle with them, and maybe more.
According to those reports, the accident was caused by an erratic driver in another vehicle, so it may have happened regardless of the speed of Gov. Corzine's vehicle.
Click on the blog item; that's what it suggests as well:
State Trooper Robert Rasinski was driving the Chevrolet Suburban transporting the governor on the Garden State Parkway in Galloway Township on Thursday night. He swerved to avoid another car and crashed into a median guardrail. The report released today said the speed was 91 miles per hour about five seconds before impact with the guard rail. The speed at the time of impact was about 30 miles per hour. State Police Superintendent Col. Rick Fuentes has asked the State Polices Motor Vehicle Accident and Vehicular Pursuit Review board to look over the report. Attorney General Stuart Rabner has appointed a member of the state ethics commission to also be a member of that review board.
The governor was on his way to Princeton to meet with the embattled radio show host Don Imus and the Rutgers women's basketball team. The governor had to drive because overcast conditions prevented him from using a helicopter.
Fuentes said hours after the crash that speed did not appear to be a factor. "From our preliminary investigation, it looks as if the trooper did a tremendous job in maintaining what control he could over that vehicle, given the fact that the other vehicle swerved into his path," he said Thursday.
April 17, 2007 4:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
You mean you don't recommend this?
April 17, 2007 4:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
And on Sunday the NYT said this:
One question that remained Saturday was how fast Mr. Corzine’s car was traveling. One driver who said he was near Mr. Corzine’s motorcade said that most cars were going about 65 to 70 miles per hour at the time.
That's right. No reason to ask the driver who was observing the motorcade how fast he thought the Governor's SUV was travelling. Nope; no reason at all.
N.B. If true, though, Corzine's SUV was going 20-25 mph faster than the other vehicles -- if on a crowded roadway, an accident waiting to happen.
April 17, 2007 4:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
From the link within the link to the NJ State Police press release:
The following information is a synopsis from the ongoing accident investigation:
On April 12, 2007, at approximately 5:30 pm, the Governor’s motorcade, made up of two 2005 Chevy Suburbans, departed Atlantic City en route to Drumthwacket via the Garden State Parkway. The Governor was traveling in the first vehicle, which was driven by Trooper Robert Rasinski. The vehicle’s emergency lights were activated to clear traffic ahead. Governor Corzine was unrestrained in the right front seat and his aide, Samantha Gordon, was unrestrained in the left rear seat. Trooper Rasinski was wearing his seatbelt.
As the motorcade progressed north on the Garden State Parkway into Galloway Township, Atlantic County, it traveled in the left of two northbound lanes and encountered two additional northbound vehicles.
The first, a white 2003 Dodge Ram pickup truck, was operated by John M. Carrino, Jr. of Glenwood, New Jersey and occupied by Matthew Cameron who was seated to his right. His vehicle was in the left lane. In the right lane was a red 1991 Ford F150 pickup truck operated by Kenneth Potts of Little Egg Harbor, New Jersey.
As the Governor’s detail approached the vehicles, both drivers moved to their right. Mr. Pott’s vehicle was slightly ahead of Mr. Carrino’s vehicle and moved to the right shoulder. At the same time, Mr. Carrino’s vehicle moved to the right lane, slightly behind Mr. Pott’s vehicle.
As the Governor’s vehicle approached Mr. Carrino’s vehicle, Mr. Potts encountered a roadway delineator (mile marker signpost) near the right edge of the roadway and moved left to avoid it.
Mr. Carrino observed Potts’ vehicle moving back toward the roadway and took evasive action to his left, during which time the left rear of his truck collided with the right front of the Governor’s vehicle.
This impact caused Trooper Rasinski to lose control and travel toward the wooded center median. Subsequent corrective steering to the right caused the Suburban to slide clockwise from the paved roadway and shoulder into the western grass berm. There it struck a milepost marker, and then impacted the end of the guide rail. The rail hit immediately behind the left front wheel and penetrated the vehicle’s body, continuing through the front seat floorboard area. The SUV abruptly rotated 180 degrees, before coming to rest with its back portion on top of the guide rail.
All occupants of the Suburban were injured. Governor Corzine sustained the most serious injuries, being thrown within the vehicle during the impact.
Carrino’s truck stopped near milepost 43.5 with no injury to its occupants. The Potts vehicle continued on.
April 17, 2007 6:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
The Governor and his aide have more guts than I do, to be riding in a car going 90 miles an hour and not wearing a seatbelt. In New Jersey traffic, no less. Sheesh.
April 17, 2007 9:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
The law says you're to pull over and stop when a vehicle with emergency flashers on approaches. Not slow down, not sort of get out of the way, pull over and stop. This kind of accident is exactly why the law is written that way.
April 18, 2007 12:42 AM | Reply | Permalink
But those instantaneous stops are just so difficult to pull off with panache -- or even with a Countach.
April 18, 2007 12:58 AM | Reply | Permalink
If he'd stopped the above wouldn't have happened.
If the other guy wasn't too close there wouldn't have been a need to take evasive action by swerving into the left lane.
April 18, 2007 9:03 AM | Reply | Permalink
Well it's not just the adhesion. Was this freeway designed for 91 mph? I doubt it. Is the surface concrete, and how many times has it been patched with asphalt? How many times has the surface frozen and thawed since it was last paved, creating potholes where the asphalt patches have broken away? How wide are the lanes? Any construction zones nearby? How tight are the curves? Are they appropriately banked?
I don't know, the last time I drove in New Jersey, I never saw anywhere where 91 mph wasn't an unsafe speed, no matter how many other cars were on the road with me. And if the differential was 26 mph, are you saying the car going 65 was to blame in this?
April 18, 2007 2:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
Was . . ? . . how . . ? How . . ? How . . ? Any . . ? How . . ? Are . . ?
Try Google Maps, why don't you.
And the answer to your last question -- the snarky one -- is -- "Of course not -- moron!"
April 18, 2007 3:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ellen, this is what you wrote that I responded to:
If the trooper (and the Governor who is responsible for the actions of his chauffeur) were driving 15-20 mph faster than other vehicles, they were wrong -- and most probably, caused the accident.
I reasonably assumed from your statement that you believe 91 mph is a safe speed to drive on Jersey highways, as long as everyone else is going close to 91 mph as well. I did overlook your last phrase in my most recent response, but the implication of the post taken as a whole was that only the differential was important. Either you didn't express your thought very well, or I'm not the one who's a moron here.
You do snark very well. It's too bad you have such trouble with other forms of expression.
April 19, 2007 10:03 AM | Reply | Permalink