The Subaru WRX has a reputation for being very capable on less-than-optimal road conditions. However, if you add in traffic, a snow plow and a poorly timed overtake, things can go sideways quite quickly. In the case of one such incident caught on dashcam, the WRX left the scene in two distinct pieces.
This video comes from the New York State Department of Transportation which used it specifically to remind drivers of the danger inherent in snowy conditions. The feed comes from a snowplow truck traveling on a two-lane road in the Adirondack mountains. The Subaru in question appears near the end of an overtake attempt as the truck begins to take a left-hand curve.
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Note to self: don’t try to pass when roads are covered in snow and slush.
— NYSDOT (@NYSDOT) January 18, 2024
Thankfully, no one was injured in this crash. pic.twitter.com/pO1haHGk1P
The conditions are too slick though and the Subaru runs out of time to navigate back into its own lane. At the last moment, it slides just far enough out of the snowplow path that the truck hits just the rear half of the WRX. The resulting destruction is evident in photos taken by a bystander, Erik Ghirarduzzi, who came upon the crash.
Ghirarduzzi called it a miracle that nobody was more seriously injured. The NYSDOT also said in its post that nobody was injured as a result of the crash. A deeper look at the video appears to indicate that the Subaru driver made multiple poor decisions leading to the crash.
Overtaking in snow and slush is questionable to begin with. On top of that, they appear to be attempting to overtake on a section of road that bends to their right which likely limited their visibility. Finally, they were passing a semi-truck with a trailer which increased the time it takes to complete the maneuver.
Thankfully, they’ll have another chance to improve their driving habits since they managed to escape without injury. NYSDOT didn’t say whether or not the driver was facing any charges. Regardless, it’s a good reminder to play it safe in sketchy conditions. Had the Subaru driver resisted the urge to overtake they likely would have arrived at their destination with an intact car.
