They say they don’t build cars like they used to, and thank goodness for that. While nostalgic boomers may wax poetic about “the good old days,” a recent Ford F-150 accident in Colorado proves that modern engineering is the only reason some people get a second chance at life. After tumbling nearly 300 feet down a canyon, the driver somehow walked away with minor injuries. Not bad for a truck that just went cliff-diving.
The Ouray Mountain Rescue Team reported the crash happened along the infamous US Highway 550, a stretch lovingly (and ominously) called the “Million Dollar Highway”. It’s a breathtaking road, if by “breathtaking” you mean both scenic and terrifyingly guardrail-free. The driver’s F-150 left the roadway between mile markers 88 and 89, somersaulting into the Uncompahgre River gorge below. Rescue teams had to rappel down the cliff to retrieve the dazed but breathing survivor — living proof that crash safety tech actually works.
Sadly, this wasn’t the first mishap along Colorado’s most beautiful deathtrap. In August, two adults tragically died when their Honda Civic plunged off the same highway, though a child miraculously survived. A few days later, a 78-year-old woman went off the road nearby and lived to tell the tale, while another rider wasn’t so lucky weeks later. The highway is lined with scenic views, dramatic cliffs, and just enough existential dread to make your hands sweat on the steering wheel.
So why no guardrails? According to state officials, snowplows need open edges to push massive snowdrifts off the mountain during winter storms. Translation: safety is seasonal, aesthetics are eternal. Even so, one Toyota Sienna driver recently discovered the rare sections with guardrails, and they’re worth their weight in gold when they stop you from dropping 800 feet.
Moral of the story? Buckle up, drive smart, and maybe send a thank-you card to your local automotive engineer. They’re the unsung heroes keeping our vehicles from becoming canyon decor.
