Windshield Spiderweb: Driver's Side

[rmoore]

We recently concluded a thread on passenger side windshield spiderwebs caused by airbags, occupants, or UFOs. Here is a different example; this time with a spiderweb on the driver's side.

This is a sad, sad situation. The glass breakage gives all indications that an unrestrained driver impacted the glass. Actually, that is what I wished had happened.

In this specific case, we arrived to find the Mother outside the vehicle, no apparent injuries, and very distraught about her 8 y.o. daughter lying unconscious on the ground.

Turns out, the spiderweb was from the unrestrained daughter who flew from the passenger rear seat, across the vehicle and struck the glass above the steering wheel. Mom who was belted, was uninjured.

This patient was in a coma when we arrived and died within 12 hours.

[rmoore]

Close-Up of the Spiderweb glass breakage pattern

[ChiefKN]

Sad, indeed.

She was not belted/boostered or anything?

[rmoore]

No seatbelt. No booster seat. Nothing. The impact was to the driver's front fender so the collision caused this car to slide and spin off to the side. That was enough to have this little girl fly out off the seat, come across from the passenger side to the driver's side, and impact the windshield up in the corner with her head and face. No seatbelt, nothing.

What is the worst part is that if the daughter had been belted, then the entire incident would have been a 'minor'; no one else was injured. PD would have come and a tow truck would have taken the car away. It could have been that simple...

[mikeyboy411]

Definitely a terrible and sad situation. Thanks for the mind-melter Ron.

[voyager9]

Wow, what an avoidable tragedy.

What's with the cracks/webbing at the bottom of the windshield. Is that all caused by the girl's impact?

BTW: I love these threads. Well, not this one, 'cause of the situation.. but anything that gets the nogg'n nooging after too much holiday nogging.

[johnsb]

Wow, what an avoidable tragedy.

What's with the cracks/webbing at the bottom of the windshield. Is that all caused by the girl's impact?

BTW: I love these threads. Well, not this one, 'cause of the situation.. but anything that gets the nogg'n nooging after too much holiday nogging.

The cracks at the bottom are most likely from the hood being forced back into the windshield. You can also get it from the firewall being bent, but usually that's more common in a side impact.
I just can't understand why a parent would'nt belt their kid in.