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Freak Accident Kills Driver On 14 Freeway After Another Car's Tire Crashes Through His Windshield

NEWHALL (CBSLA.com)  —    A driver was killed on the 14 Freeway in Newhall Wednesday when a tire flew off another vehicle and crashed through his windshield.

The freak accident shut down the southbound 14  for hours near Placerita Canyon Road.

At around 2:30 in the afternoon, a tire from a 1986 white Cadillac came loose, and flew across the 14 from the northbound side of the freeway and slammed into the windshield of a Hyundai on the southbound side.

Officials said the Hyundai driver was killed instantly.

Susanna Cantrell says she drives the same road and recently had a dangerous encounter with road debris.

"I was driving on the 14," she says, "and this car, a truck, something fell from the back. Whatever it was, hit my window and I had to swerve to the left. And I almost hit [something.] I had my son with me, thank God, and he said 'mom, mom, watch out,[to warn me.]'"

Stories like hers are not that uncommon.

A recent study by AAA, found that over a three-year period, road debris caused more than 200,000 crashes.

In the U.S, that adds up to 500 deaths and more than 39,000 injuries.

Sadly, today's fatal accident on the 14, added to those statistics. A dangerous reminder to be extra vigilant on the roads.

The AAA study also said many people are killed or injured and not because they hit the obstacle in the road. The study found when they swerve to avoid hitting something in the road, like furniture that falls off a truck, of the shredded tires of a semi, people are also likely to be hurt.

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