This story is part of KXAN’s “Preventing Disaster” investigation, which initially published on May 15, 2024. The project follows a fatal car crash into an Austin hospital’s emergency room earlier that year. Our team took a broader look at safety concerns with that crash and hundreds of others across the nation – including whether medical sites had security barriers – known as bollards – at their entrances. Experts say those could stop crashes from happening.
The video released shows a violent crash at St. David’s North Austin Medical Center involving a drunk driver. The surveillance footage captured by the hospital’s cameras reveals the horrifying moments leading up to the crash. The Bernard family, who were victims of the crash, emphasized the importance of sharing this footage with the public and policymakers to raise awareness about hospital safety.
The footage shows a white Acura sedan speeding towards the hospital’s ER doors, where several people, including the Bernard family, were waiting. The crash resulted in injuries to the family, with the driver found to have a significantly high blood alcohol level. The video serves as evidence in a lawsuit against the hospital for negligence in not having security bollards in place at the time of the incident.
Following the crash, St. David’s North Austin Medical Center installed bollards to prevent similar accidents in the future. The Bernard family’s attorney highlighted the importance of having these safety measures in place to avoid disasters like this. The family expressed gratitude for the support and the impact their story has had in advocating for improved safety standards at hospitals.
The Austin City Council is considering a resolution to require crash-tested security barriers at new hospitals in the city. Council Member Mackenzie Kelly credited the Bernard family’s story for inspiring this resolution and emphasized the need for enhanced safety measures in healthcare facilities. The final vote on this resolution is expected to take place in October.
The Bernard family hopes that their experience will lead to positive changes in hospital safety standards not only in Austin but also in other cities and at a federal level. They believe that implementing bollards and other safety measures can prevent similar tragedies from occurring in the future. The family is still on the road to recovery, both physically and emotionally, but they remain hopeful that their story will serve as a catalyst for improving safety measures in healthcare institutions nationwide.
