CINCINNATI (AP) — An amorous cicada was blamed for causing a car crash in Ohio.
The insect flew through an open window, striking the driver in the face on Monday night, Cincinnati police said. The motorist drove off Riverside Drive and crashed into a utility pole, damaging the vehicle.
The motorist sustained minor injuries, but police tweeted photos showing the car was heavily damaged.
Cicadas are swarming across the Cincinnati area. They’re part of Brood X, which emerge from the ground every 17 years to mate.
Police advised motorists to keep their windows closed for the time being.
Motorist Hit Elk On I-25, Got Out Of Car And Was Hit By Another Driver
June 7, 2021
DOUGLAS COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4) – The Colorado State Patrol reports a woman was killed early Monday morning after exiting her vehicle and being hit by another vehicle traveling southbound on Interstate 25 near Castle Pines.
The female driver, identified as Kendra Durnan, reportedly struck an elk that was running across the highway, Master Trooper Gary Cutler explained to CBS4. Her car was damaged and she was unable to continue driving it.
Durnan, 18, was struck outside her vehicle, Cutler said. Her body was thrown in the northbound lanes. Durnan was from Buffalo, Minnesota …
Skyler McKinley, regional director of public affairs for AAA Colorado, said generally, the best advice for drivers involved in wildlife-related crashes is to put on your hazard lights, get to the side of the road, and call local authorities.
In this case, that may not have been possible with a disabled car:
“Sometimes you’re in these traffic safety situations where there’s not an easy answer. Generally if your car is stuck in a traffic lane and it’s completely disabled and you can’t safely get it to a breakdown lane, you want to make yourself as visible as possible for oncoming traffic to see,” McKinley said.