---
title: "Motorist Narrowly Dodges Impalement by Steel Beam"
description: "Beam skewers bimmer."
date: "2015-12-15"
modified: "2015-12-15"
authors:
  - name: "Brendan McAleer"
    link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/brendan-mcaleer"
url: "https://www.thedrive.com/article/1304/motorist-narrowly-dodges-impalement-by-steel-beam"
categories:
  - "News"
tags:
  - "crashes"
  - "dodge"
---

# Motorist Narrowly Dodges Impalement by Steel Beam

![](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/images-by-url-td/content/archive-images/121515_bmwbeamcrash_tn_0.jpg>)
*\<em\>www.thedrive.com</em>*

You could say the other driver flicked on his *I-beams*. If you were hit by this thing, you wouldn't be... *beaming*.

Ok. Enough.

It's the nightmare scenario we've all felt when following a heavily laden truck: are we sure that load is absolutely secure? Most truckers adhere to the professional standards required to keep their commercial licenses, but every so often the fatigue of long-haul driving or plain carelessness leaves the door open for potential tragedy.

In this case, a San Jose man escaped fatal impalement when a huge steel beam came loose while traveling on the freeway. The massive piece of metal\] speared right through the roof of his black BMW X5. Don Lee, 66, was lucky to walk away with merely a scratch on his right arm. Presumably, he went right out and bought a lottery ticket.

The driver of the Ford flatbed that lost its dangerous load may face charges if negligence is found to be a cause. Let this near-miss be your reminder to give cargo-carriers a wide berth, and keep your eyes up, and don't follow too closely.

![121515\_bmwbeamcrash\_tn\_1.jpg](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/content/archive-images/121515_bmwbeamcrash_tn_1.jpg>)

https://twitter.com/_/status/675453640774037504

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