Full marks for persistence in the story below from the Eastern Wake News, Zebulon, North Carolina.

Not content with failing to die after driving straight through the barriers at the end of a section of freeway, they guy then hangs himself from the dead end bridge he just drove off :

KNIGHTDALE – A 26-year-old Raleigh man committed suicide by hanging himself last Tuesday afternoon after deliberately crashing his SUV through the barriers at the end of Interstate 540 where it joins the Knightdale Bypass, police said.Knightdale Public Safety Director Shawn Brown said Ransom Jameson was traveling at a high rate of speed when he drove off the end of the highway. The Dodge Durango he was driving went airborne and landed on trees in an area where the roadway will be extended in the future.

Brown said James survived crash but then hung himself below the end of the highway. Jameson did not leave behind any explanation.

“This was the most amazing crash I’ve seen at that intersection,” Brown said. “It appears the victim wanted to kill himself.”

Brown said state Highway Patrol troopers were first on the scene after a truck driver noticed the victim’s vehicle in the woods below the highway interchange. The wreck happened around 3 p.m.

Interestingly, in the USA it is estimated that around 1 in 40 fatal single car crashes are suicides.

Take this one for example :

This accident occured on Hwy 30 that runs north and south near St. Helens, Or on 6/14/02. The driver of the ’97 Honda Accord crossed the double yellow line into oncoming traffic into the far lane directly into the path of an oncoming semi with a trailer. The driver of the Accord was traveling about 65 mph and according to witness’ and police reports he turned the wheel into oncoming traffic in an act of suicide.

The driver died on scene but the semi’s driver walked away very shaken.

And the results of driving head on into an articulated lorry?

Not pretty :

Rather more successful than driving off a bridge into trees though and no need to remember to carry a rope around either.

Unsurprisingly, it’s somewhat unhealthy to drive into anything weighing 40 tonnes as this rather shortened VW in Brazil demonstrates :