When driving off-road, it’s always important to make sure you have the proper skills necessary to do so. Case in point is this Ford Bronco Sport driver, whose car plummeted off a mountain road at Colorado’s Black Bear Pass.
The 23-year-old woman, who was not from Colorado, was driving up a section of switchbacks along the pass when she and her passenger decided they wanted to turn around. The passenger got out of the car, and while the driver was backing up, the car mounted the embankment and tumbled off the road. The woman, her dog, and the SUV’s engine were all ejected from the vehicle as it tumbled 400 feet down the mountain, then finally came to rest upright on the road below.
Read More: 16-Year-Old Allegedly Rolling Coal In Ford Pickup Hits Multiple Cyclists In Texas
Both the woman and her dog sustained serious injuries (the passenger, being outside the vehicle, was obviously left unscathed), but thankfully everyone is still alive. There is apparently a sign on the road informing drivers of its one-way nature, however, the passenger told police they did not see it. Additionally, based on the preliminary investigation of the accident, it appears the driver wasn’t wearing a seat belt, but nothing was confirmed.
See Also: Toyota Camry Driver Bizarrely Slams Head-On Into Aussie Trucker
Black Bear Pass & Bridal Veil Rd are now open after closure from vehicle rollover. 23yof driver ejected w/serious injuries, transported by @TellurideFPD to @TellurideMC. Passenger was out of vehicle when rollover occurred, dog ejected & being treated at vet. No other injuries. pic.twitter.com/zAFPakulDi
— San Miguel Sheriff (@SheriffAlert) September 26, 2021
Regardless, while Ford‘s baby Bronco has proven to be surprisingly capable off the beaten path, it’s still no substitute for experience. As the sheriff put it in the Twitter thread above: “Black Bear Pass is an extremely dangerous road & should only be driven by experienced off-road drivers in appropriate vehicles. Legally, a 16yr-old who got his DL hours prior, may try to drive the pass in grandma’s 80’s sedan. That doesn’t mean it’s safe.”