My wife and I were driving home from the Adirondacks on the NY Thruway yesterday and saw a horrific accident as it happened, about 50 feet in front of our car! I saw the car drifting to the right, and thought, "oh, he'll steer back", but car just continued to the right, hit the guiderail at the end, crushed the rail all the way to the concrete barriers that are ironically there to protect the toll apparatus! The driver must of fallen asleep at the wheel, or "died suddenly". Debris flew out into the road, and I was glad that we were in the left lane, because a large piece of the guiderail flew into the right lane. We stopped just ahead, called 911, and I started to go back to help, when another vehicle stopped, where a passenger was an EMT. He ran back to the scene. I saw many people at the scene, and decided I wouldn't be any help. We left, and as we left, the car burst into flames! Based on the severity of the crash (we could see that the front of the car was TOTALLY crushed in), we wondered if the passenger(s) could be extracted before the flames! It was the worst car accident I have ever seen happen!
Now here is where it get's weird. I searched online yesterday and couldn't find a news item about it. I still couldn't today, but found where someone mentioned it on Reddit. So the question is, are details being withheld for a reason? (or am I just too conspiracy-minded :) ) I can't recall anything about the vehicle other than it was a car.
So, as a former reporter, here’s how we’d get the local and latest news: when I came in in the morning to the newsroom, we’d have a list of local agencies and departments to call to hear what happened overnight. We’d do this later in the day, too. Each and everyday. Without fail. The policeman answering the phone, if he had anything, would read a statement or fax it to us. That’s how we became aware of local accidents, arrests, drug busts, crimes, etc. We also listened to the scanner and would stay on top of anything coming across that was important. If it was something big, we’d send a reporter out.
I have noticed this myself the past few years that accidents are no longer reported.
Newsrooms, both radio and television, are usually owned by corporations now and I suspect that accidents are now off the table for news. It must have come from someone high up, because you have to understand that calling around to get the latest from various departments was standard protocol forever. Local news stations should be reporting local accidents and other news. Try a local radio station in the area—they might have info. Also the State Police in the area will have a statement or press release prepared. It’s their job, even if it doesn’t get reported.
Serious accidents often make the local TV news here, and usually show up in some news article. So far, I'm finding nothing on this. Other accidents yesterday are reported all over the place, especially when they cause a huge backup. This one apparently kept traffic backed up for a couple of hours, based on the Reddit comments about it.