A pre-dawn drive on State Highway 6 in rural Beckham County turned deadly early Tuesday when a Lawton man was killed after his vehicle left the road and overturned. The single-vehicle crash happened at about 3:01 a.m. on March 18, roughly 17.5 miles north of Granite, and the driver was pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities say the cause of the wreck remains under investigation, as reported by KECO.
According to KECO 96.5FM, citing the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, the driver was identified as 60-year-old Terry K. Bell of Lawton. Troopers report that Bell was traveling northbound when he overcorrected twice, briefly returned to the roadway, then left the road a second time. The vehicle struck a ditch and overturned about one and one-quarter times before coming to rest on its driver's side. Bell was ejected from the vehicle and found roughly 73 feet north of where it came to rest, and officials say his next of kin have been notified.
Seat Belts And Rural Risk
Troopers also noted that Bell was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found that seat belts are the most effective way to prevent deaths and serious injuries in crashes, reducing such outcomes by about half, and that adults in non-metropolitan areas are less likely to buckle up than those in cities. CDC guidance emphasizes buckling up on every trip, especially on rural roads where crashes are more often deadly.
Investigation Underway
The Oklahoma Highway Patrol continues to investigate the circumstances that led to the collision and has released few additional details. As reported by KECO 96.5FM, officials say the cause remains under investigation and that more information may be released as troopers complete their report.
