A Winston-Salem man died Sunday evening after his car crossed the median on Interstate 85 in Davidson County and slammed head-on into a food-service truck, flipping the truck and leaving two men injured. The crash happened just before 7 p.m. near Exit 103, according to the N.C. Highway Patrol.
Troopers say a 2012 Honda Accord was traveling southbound on I-85 when it left the roadway, entered the median, and crossed into the northbound lanes, according to Queen City News. The Honda collided head-on with a Sygma food-service truck, and both vehicles came to rest in the median — the truck overturned in the roadway after impact. The Honda's driver, identified as 37-year-old Jeremiah Sebastian Johnson of Winston-Salem, was pronounced deceased at the scene.
The stretch of highway where the crash occurred sits near a major commercial interchange linking I-85 with N.C. Highway 109, described by AARoads as a commercial gateway to downtown Thomasville. That mix of heavy commercial traffic and passenger vehicles on a busy interstate segment underscores the stakes when a crossover crash occurs there.
Two Men Hospitalized After Truck Overturns
The Sygma truck's driver and a passenger were both transported to a nearby hospital for treatment, per the same report. The investigation remains ongoing, according to the report.
The truck involved in the crash was identified as a Sygma food-service vehicle.
Why Head-On Crashes Are So Deadly
Head-on collisions account for roughly 2 percent of all traffic crashes statewide but cause approximately 10 percent of all roadway fatalities, largely due to the extreme force generated by combined-speed impacts, according to NC Accident Help. The risks of across-median crashes have prompted discussion of median barriers and cable guardrails on freeways.
NCDOT traffic summaries show wrong-way and median-crossover driving on North Carolina highways has recently topped 65 to 72 reported incidents a year, with state analyses finding that impaired driving contributes to nearly half of all wrong-way interstate crashes, according to Arnold & Smith. Separately, speeding is a factor in motor-vehicle fatalities. The crash remains under investigation.
Investigation Continues, Records Pending
The N.C. Highway Patrol is investigating the crash, and additional information may emerge as the investigation continues.
Truck and highway wrecks have occurred on I-85 in Davidson County. The crash highlights the risks associated with centerline and median crossings on Davidson County roadways.
