Teenager killed, three injured in Lockwood crash

Speeding and intoxication were suspected factors in the crash, according to preliminary details released by the Montana Highway Patrol. Saturday's crash came days before the start of the “100 Deadliest Days of Summer,” when fatal crashes increase nationwide during the summer months.

The four teens, two 18-year-old men and two 17-year-old boys, were traveling in a Ford SUV west on North Frontage Road in Lockwood a little after 2 a.m., according to MHP. The driver, an 18-year-old, was apparently traveling at a high rate of speed and ran a stop sign and left the curb on a curve.

The SUV crossed a service road and collided with a railway embankment. He crossed the railway tracks and came to rest on his side, against a barbed wire fence. Even though all four teens were wearing seat belts, the force of the collision ejected the driver. Emergency services pronounced him dead on the spot. Two other teens were taken to local hospitals for treatment.

At least 63 people have died on Montana roads so far this year, and intoxication is believed to be a factor in more than half of those deaths. Fatal accidents are on the rise in 2024 compared to the same period last year.

In the United States, traffic accidents are the leading cause of death among adolescents, according to mortality data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. On average, eight teenagers die each day in fatal crashes, and those who drive at night have a fatal crash rate nearly three times that of older adults.

The 100 days from Memorial Day to Labor Day consistently coincide with a sharp increase in fatal accidents in the United States, and teenagers are particularly vulnerable. Earlier this weekend, MHP and the Montana Attorney General's Office warned drivers to slow down, wear their seat belts and stay off the road if they are intoxicated.

“Our troopers will have an increased presence on the roads and highways this weekend and throughout the summer to help prevent dangerous situations from occurring on Montana's roadways,” said MHP Col. Kurt Sager in a statement released Friday.