A Pennsylvania State Police SUV (FILE PHOTO)
Two teenagers were fortunate to escape a rollover accident on I-78 east in Lower Saucon Township, Northampton County, with either minor injuries or no injuries at all, according to a news release from Pennsylvania State Police at Belfast.
According to police, the wreck happened near mile marker 68.5 at approximately 8:40 p.m. Monday.
That’s when police say the 16-year-old female driver of a 2020 Hyundai Tucson merged into the highway’s left lane and struck the rear end of an eastbound tractor-trailer.
After making contact with the truck, police said the Tucson swerved to the left, went into the grassy median that divides the eastbound and westbound lanes, and rolled over.
According to the accident report summary, the vehicle rolled on top of the cable barriers in the center of the median and continued to roll over an unknown number of times.
“After going over the cables, (the Tucson) continued into the lanes of I-78 west,” the report said. “After crossing the lanes, (it) came to final rest after striking the tall sound barrier wall running along the right shoulder.”
Police said the Tucson’s driver was taken by ambulance to St. Luke’s Anderson Campus in Bethlehem Township for treatment of a suspected minor injury following the crash.
A 16-year-old male passenger in the vehicle was not injured, police said.
Both the driver and passenger were wearing seat belts at the time of the crash, the report indicated.
The accident report said the driver was from Easton and the passenger was from East Stroudsburg.
According to police, the driver was to receive a Motor Vehicle Code citation for speeding.
The accident report did not say whether or how the vehicle was damaged and/or whether it had to be towed from the crash scene.