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Dr. Monika I. Woroniecka, a 58-year-old pediatrician from New York, tragically died after being ejected from a moving Airstream trailer on State Route 12E on April 6.
According to her oldest daughter’s account to the police, the accident occurred while the family was en route to an Airbnb in Cape Vincent, having recently stopped for ice cream in the Village of Brownville. Dr. Woroniecka and her daughter Helena decided to spend the final 20 minutes of their journey inside the trailer.
The incident happened when Dr. Woroniecka attempted to secure the trailer’s passenger side door that blew open while traveling, leading to her being “thrown” from the vehicle. She hit her head on the road’s shoulder and was rushed to Samaritan Medical Center’s Emergency Room, where she succumbed to her injuries.
Airstream responded with a statement saying their travel trailers are not designed for carrying passengers while the trailer is in motion. The company emphasizes that its safety protocols, detailed in operating manuals and on its website, explicitly advise against towing an Airstream with people inside.
Airstream also points out that many states have laws against carrying passengers in a travel trailer or fifth wheel when it is being towed. The company advises owners to check the regulations specific to their state by consulting with the Department of Motor Vehicles. Specifically, in New York, where the accident happened, it is illegal to tow passengers in a “house coach trailer” when it is attached to a vehicle and on the road.
My heart goes out to them, but that was avoidable.
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