My Trac saved my life

[Jim Edwards]

The night before Thanksgiving, while driving a dark wet stretch of Tennessee highway, I came up on a slow moving vehicle pulling a trailer without any rear lights visible. With not more than a second to react I only had one way I could go to avoid him, left toward the median ditch. I made the hard turn and realized I was now headed toward oncoming traffic on the other side at 70mph. I chose to turn my Trac away from that traffic and take my chances in the deep wide median. I rolled sideways at least 6 times. Parts and glass exploded off my Sport Trac as I rolled. I felt my left leg bounce out what was left of the driver window opening about the time of the second roll. I tried to pull it back into the cab. When I finally came to a rest, upright, and alive, I took a moment to think about the harsh violence of the crash I had just experienced. I checked myself over and other than a painful left foot I was in good shape. My Sport Trac wasn't going to travel another foot under her own power though. After 12 years and 213,00 miles together she had wrapped me up and kept me alive on our last ride. I've never had a vehicle I loved more or enjoyed owning more than my Sport Trac. I worked for Ford and was at LAP when the first prototype came down the line. I bought my 2003 and fell in love with it. I also joined mysporttrac.com at the same time. The membership helped me enjoy and improve my Trac for many years. She was still beautiful and going strong right up until the end.

I hope no one else has to experience a wreck as harsh as mine, but at least I know the Sport Trac is built tough and will protect it's passengers.

It's been a great ride, folks. My only injuries were a broken ankle and that is healing, and a broken heart from losing such an awesome truck.



(I'll post pictures in my user album "last ride" folder if you want to see the end result.)

 

[Gavin Allan]

Holy Crap! Thank God you survived that one!



What a neat E-mail, too!

 

[Jerry Abson 3]

A gentleman I work with fell asleep at the wheel of his, rolled it, looked the same as yours does. And he swears by the safety of the trac, so much that he bought the same model and year.



Glad to hear your doing well, sorry to hear about your ride. They are truly a unigue truck, and I will keep mine as long as possible!

 

[Henry Suarez]

My first STA did me well also...check out my pics.

 

[swshawaii]

Frightening story, could have been much worse and hope you're recovering well. Anything holding you back from finding a low mileage replacement? They're out there, although rare.

 

[Gary Oaks]

Here is a 2010 at the same place I bought my 07 this year. Hope the link works



http://www.martinfordsales.com/used-inventory/details/?lang=en&make=Ford&models=Explorer+Sport+Trac&vehicle_type=All&year_min=2002&year_max=2014&price_min=4000&price_max=36000&mileage_min=6000&mileage_max=131000&sort_by=price_asc&view=list&vin=1FMEU2D82AUF00415&index=1&count=1&offset=0&limit=1

 

[H D]

Glad you're okay. Good to know the ST was built to handle these situations as safe as possible.

 

[Chris Watts]

Glad you are ok. Not sure where you are from or if you are looking for another Sport Trac. But mine is for sale. 2008, 4x4, 49,000 miles.