Guess I graduated at just the right time
From 11alive.com
Driver's Education Teacher Struck
Web Editor: Tracey Christensen
Reported By: Jon Shirek
Last Modified: 2/10/2005 6:40:33 PM
A high school student accidentally backed over her driver's education instructor at a DeKalb County course Thursday. The teacher ended up trapped underneath the vehicle for 15 minutes while firefighters worked to free her.
Two student drivers, in separate cars, collided, and the instructor, who was standing behind one of the cars, ended up pinned underneath it.
"They're saying that the teacher was trying to tell the student to stop or something like that and the student (failed to) hit the brakes or I guess she was panicking," and possibly hit the accelerator instead, according to one tenth grade student.
"When we arrived here we discovered a lady that was laying down lengthwise up underneath this car, wedged up underneath the bottom," said Lt. Eric Jackson of DeKalb County Fire and Rescue.
Jackson said rescuers jacked up the car and were eventually able to slip out the victim, who had remained conscious during the rescue.
Her condition warranted a transport to Grady Memorial Hospital by an air ambulance. She is being held in the trauma center and is listed in critical condition.
Chief Hanson said officers are interviewing the students, who were returned by bus to the high school. He did not know why the instructor was on the course. Typically, students drive themselves around the course while in radio contact with the instructors who remain in a tower, he said.
The teacher has been identified as Patricia Erwin. Jackson did not know the identity of the student involved in the accident. The teacher and the student are both from
Stone Mountain High School (my alma mater) .
DeKalb County school spokesman Spencer Ragsdale said the instructor has been with the school system for 20 years. Ragsdale said that in 28 years of driver's education training, the school system had never had a serious accident.
The course is located in the parking lot of a now-closed grocery store at Mountain Industrial and US 78 in DeKalb County
Firefighters work to free the woman from under the car.
Why lawmakers are trying to raise the driving age
Thats crazy fa real. What the hell was the instructor doing out the car anyway. I thought instructors are supposed to be in the car with student drivers at all times, ready to hit that extra brake they have on the passenger side, to AVOID situations like that from occuring. I know when I was in drivers ed the only time my instructor was out the car was to pump gas. Anyways, whoever that student is that hit the teacher, I know they traumatized for life...it will take them years before ever gettin behind the steering wheel.
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