[quote=“BikerFry,post:49,topic:31622"”]
You don’t pass on a 2 lane road at night when you have other lives in the car with you.
[/quote]
The artice on CNN said the van was going 40mph. 40mph in a 55 zone, on a clear night with probably very little traffic. I don’t know anyone who wouldn’t make that pass, regardless of who you had with you in the the vehicle.
To put it another way, when I was 16 and in drivers ed, my drivers ed instructor actually allowed me to make a very similar pass. We caught up to an old POS truck, going 40 in a 55, on a 2 lane road. A licensed driving instructor even felt that pass was reasonable, with a 16 year old driver, and 4 other young passengers. Sure, it wasn’t night, but if it’s a passing zone that shouldn’t matter. Hell, it’s easier to see a car coming in the oncoming lane at night because you see the headlights long before you can see the car, even if it’s around a bend or over a hill.
It’s not like she plowed into the semi while next to the van. She got past the van, then did something to really fuck up and end up swerving back into the oncoming lane. My guess is she went too far right, caught the shoulder a little bit, then massively overcorrected.
So to say it again, a tragic noob driver mistake, same as what happens 1000’s of times each year. It’s why noob drivers aren’t allowed to be driving at 10pm with 4 of their young friends.