13 teenagers, aged 13-17, were inside an SUV when the driver lost control on a curve, causing the vehicle to rollover on the evening of Saturday, October 26th. The crash occurred at the end of National Teen Driver Safety Week.
The accident occurred in a residential area of La Jolla, on Muirlands Vista Way, around 8:15 p.m. The SUV, a Ford Expedition, rolled over going around a curve, ending up on its roof. Authorities believe that the SUV may have contained too much weight; Ford Expeditions are designed to fit seven people.
Five of the teenagers were taken to the hospital after the crash, but no injuries were life-threatening. One victim experienced a broken leg. Neighbors tended to the injured teenagers after the rollover.
Though a beer can was seen in the aftermath of the crash, none of the teenagers, including the driver, were cited for the accident. Authorities do not believe the driver was under the influence. Authorities issued public reminders to only carry as many passengers as a vehicle has seat belts and that provisional drivers licenses only allow a certain number of passengers.