As IDF rescuers fight the clock to save lives in Haiti, with sunny skies and dry roadways, 11 people lost their lives around Israel from motzei shabbos to Sunday night, in vehicular accidents in less than 24 hours. Two others were killed, struck by trains. Over 30 others sustained different levels of injuries in the accidents.

At 3:56am, a Haifa resident in her 30s was struck and killed as she crossed the road in an unauthorized area near Dolphin Jct. She sustained extremely serious multi systems trauma and was pronounced dead in the trauma unit of Haifa’s Rambam Medical Center.

Police are investigating; explaining that while the victim was crossing in an unauthorized area, it appears the driver was operating the vehicle at excessive speed, contributing to his inability to stop the car in time.

6:00am: Chanan Ochana, 24, of Afula, was killed in a collision involving a minibus and a private vehicle on Route 55 near the entrance to a moshav in the Jezreel Valley. 11 people were injured, transported to Rambam Hospital and Ha’emek Hospital in Afula.

Another accident, without fatalities, occurred during the morning hours between Kibbutz Niran and Kibbutz Galgal in the Jordan Valley when a tractor struck a van. A couple, Breslov chassidim from Yavniel were injured. The wife sustained serious injuries and was transported to the Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital trauma unit by chopper. The others were transported in light and moderate condition to areas hospitals. The couple has 18 children blei ayin hora. They were on the way to Yerushalayim with a number of children to make final preparations for the wedding of one of the son’s, scheduled for Wednesday, January 20th.

11:00am: At Ba’ari Jct. on Route 232 in the western Negev, a serious MVA occurred involving 4 fatalities. One of the victims was Helena Baker, from Kibbutz Orim, who at week’s end celebrated her 72nd birthday. Two soldiers, Sgt. Karen Sheetrit, 20, from Eilat and Sgt. Me’or Cohen-Kadosh, 20, from Rishon L’Tzion were also killed in the head-on collision.

It appears the vehicle with the five youths veered into the opposing lane, striking Mrs. Baker’s vehicle. At least two others were injured.

According to one eyewitness, the vehicle driven by the youths tried passing a truck, crossing a solid white line to do so, a move that was quite costly to many.

11:00am: At almost the exact same time, another fatal collision occurred, in Petach Tikvah, claiming the life of 57-year-old truck driver Yair Tzabari. Tzabari locked his vehicle but shortly after exiting, he noticed it began to roll. He quickly ran to open the door and stop the truck, but as he was trying to do so, he was crushed to death by the truck striking another truck. A Sharon area resident, he retired from Israel Police three years earlier. Responding to the call was a Petach Tikvah traffic unit, including a longtime colleague and close personal friend of the niftar, office Yaakov Shemtov, who was aghast at the sight.

3:45pm: A pedestrian was struck and killed at Yashresh Jct. in the Aravah. The victim was transported to Assaf HaRofeh Hospital, reported in moderate condition, but he died a number of hours after the accident.

Towards evening, an accident occurred between Checkpost Jct. and Paz Jct. claiming the lives of a male, 25, and a female, 19. They were both Haifa residents.

The last victim as 51-year-old Meir Ben-Chaim, from Beit Shean, who was injured seriously in an accident in Tiveria two weeks ago, and was niftar on Sunday in Rambam Medical Center. As of Sunday afternoon, the number of people killed on Israel’s roads in 2010 has reached 23.

Elsewhere, a male, apparently in his 30s, was killed when he was struck by a train while crossing tracks in the Tel Aviv area. As of Monday morning, the victim was not yet identified. Towards evening, a male in his 30s was also struck by a train while crossing tracks in the southern area.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)