Critical Safety Measures Necessary on the Road
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Posted: 12:26 AM Aug 18, 2010
Critical Safety Measures Necessary on the Road
With deadly and tragic accidents, comes the reminder of taking extra precautions to make sure you and your passengers are safe.
Reporter: Brooks Jarosz
Email Address: brooks.jarosz@wsaz.com
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CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- It was the force of impact that threw a six-year-old girl and seven-year-old boy from a mini-van, killing them both Tuesday. They weren't wearing seatbelts.

With deadly and tragic accidents, comes the reminder of taking extra precautions to make sure you and your passengers are safe.

Distractions like cell phones, movies or even loud music can put you at risk, however, seat belts, booster seats and other restraints are what police say help to save lives.

Accidents can sometimes be less serious or even avoidable if parents prepare before ever leaving the driveway.

AAA says it's really about laying down some ground rules and letting your kids or even other passengers know what's allowed and not allowed in your car, with seat belts being number one on the list.

"Wearing seatbelts is vitally important when you're out there on the road," AAA supervisor Christina Rollyson said. "Not only for your own safety but it's the law."

While some people just don't like wearing them, travel agents say it's these deadly accidents that should really be a red flag. West Virginia is considered a primary enforcement state, allowing officers to pull someone over if they aren't wearing one.

"Maybe parents are feeling like, 'Oh, we're just going to take a quick trip and we don't necessarily have to restrain our kids properly with the booster seats and those sorts of things,' but that's actually when traffic accidents happen more often than not," Rollyson said.

To avoid accidents, it's booster seats that kids may need. In West Virginia if a child weighs 40 pounds or less, is seven years old or younger and shorter than 4 feet 9 inches, a car set is required by law.

"If you're the driver or the guardian, you're the one supposed to be in control of that car," Rollyson said. "You really need to set up rules and parameters before you even go on a trip."

Rules are important to avoid distractions. AAA suggests not letting your kids take off seatbelts to grab a movie or snack. Countless accidents and tests show that cell phones and texting while driving can lead to injury or death. The pain of something that could have been prevented never fades for many people including officers.

"Over the 23 years I've been investigating accidents, I can only think of two where if a person had a seat belt on they may have been injured more," Lieutenant Sean Crosier with Kanawha County Sheriff's Department said. "Seat belts save lives."

West Virginia has one of the lowest fines for not buckling up or having your child restrained in a booster seat. According to the Governors Highway Safety Association, the fine in West Virginia is $20, which is the second lowest in the country. In Kentucky it's $50 dollars and Ohio $75.

In another testament of just how important it is to wear your seatbelt at any age, a small car crashed head on into a dump truck along Hal Greer Boulevard Monday night. Emergency crews say seatbelts and airbags saved the life of the car's driver.

Latest Comments

Posted by: Kim on Aug 18, 2010 at 09:01 AM

I think its more of lack of respect to other drivers that cause wrecks. I know that when im out there is people passing me when im doing the speed limit or they follow way to close and then speed pass you when they can even on a double line. you can take the nicest person and they turn rude and stupid when they step into a car. Learn respect and alot of these accidents.
Posted by: unknown on Aug 18, 2010 at 02:37 AM

There is lots of people out in West Virgina is not driving safe. They need to take a proper driving course on how to drive. All i can say is use your smarts drive proper.
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