A pickup truck with two adults and two children flew off an overpass in Franklin, Tenn., on Feb. 1
The Williamson County Fire and Rescue had to remove three of the four occupants from the car
Officials credit car seats and seat belts with saving the children’s lives
Two adults and two children survived a dangerous car accident in Franklin, Tenn., on Sunday, Feb. 1.
The incident happened when a pickup truck flew off the I-840 overpass near the 16-mile mark, Williamson County Fire and Rescue (WCFR) said in a Monday, Feb. 2 news release.
The truck crossed the interstate and ended up on the opposite side. It landed upright in a gulch between two bridges, with its front end resting on the embankment, a WCFR spokesperson told PEOPLE. The truck was damaged after hitting the concrete barrier.
“Despite the severity of the crash and the complexity of the rescue, there were no major injuries,” WCFR said.
The fire department removed three of the four occupants from the car after the crew popped open the doors. The rescuers had to navigate the steep terrain and use a rope and a Stokes basket to rescue one passenger.
Williamson Health EMS transported the vehicle’s occupants to the hospital for evaluation.
The agency also confirmed all four occupants were wearing seatbelts and both children were in car seats. “Seatbelts and car seats save lives. Every ride. Every time,” WCFR wrote.
The identities of the adults and children involved in the accident were not made public.
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Ten firefighters responded to the scene. Members of the Williamson County Emergency Management Agency, Williamson Health EMS, Williamson County Sheriff’s Office and the Tennessee Highway Patrol also responded.
In 2023, nearly half of the 23,959 passenger vehicle occupants who were killed were not buckled in, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), citing known seat belt use. In 2017, an estimated 14,955 lives were saved by seat belt use, the NHTSA said.
