There's no question that guardrails save lives, but they can also be extremely dangerous when the angle of impact sends the rail spearing through a car some sort of hellish halberd. That's how Robert Kubica was almost killed in a rally crash back in 2011, and how this incredibly lucky driver in Pennsylvania nearly met the same fate this week after reportedly falling asleep at the wheel.
The Greene County Regional Police Department writes on Facebook that a 24-year-old man named Seth Yoders was driving his Ford Focus on Tuesday morning when he drifted off the road near Morris Township, Pennsylvania and struck the terminal end of a guardrail head-on. Pictures show the metal rail punched straight through the engine bay, piercing the firewall and ending up in what looks like a perfect position to chop the poor guy in half, Final Destination-style.
Yet first responders were amazed to arrive and find Yoders very much alive and in a state of shock—especially considering police say he wasn't wearing a seatbelt. Firefighters were able to cut him out of the wreckage, at which point he was airlifted to a hospital in Pittsburgh. His relatives later described him as "badly banged up," but somehow he managed to avoid breaking any bones.
The emergency crews also noticed that the Focus' headlight detached and flew another 80 feet from the point of impact, so they believe Yoders was likely speeding. He told responders that he had worked the midnight shift at a local coal mine and fell asleep while trying to drive home.
"If there is anyone out there who can honestly say that they came to within inches of their life, it is Mr. Yoders... Folks, whether you want to call this luck or attribute this to a higher power, that's up to you.," the post reads. "Whatever it is, it's the only reason why this young man is still alive and will be going home to his family. PLEASE slow down, PLEASE pay attention, PLEASE wear your seat belt, PLEASE put your cell phone down, and PLEASE do not drive while intoxicated, drowsy, or anything less than fully alert."