Fatal Missouri Crash Highlights The Importance Of Wearing Seat Belts

March 20, 2012
Two people were killed and four were injured in a tragic car accident that occurred in eastern Missouri Friday afternoon. According to KMOV 4 News, no one in the vehicle was wearing a seatbelt.
The accident happened on US 136 in Putnam County, near the town of Hartford, Missouri. A 35-year-old man was driving east in an SUV carrying five other passengers when he began to drift across the centerline. When he realized he had veered into the oncoming lanes, he jerked the wheel and overcorrected. This caused the vehicle to slide out of control before rolling several times. No one in the vehicle was properly restrained and all were ejected. The driver and front seat passenger were killed, while the other four passengers suffered moderate to severe injuries.
Statistics from the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA) show that seat belts save lives. Wearing a seat belt increases the chances of survival for a front seat passenger in the event of a crash by 45 percent and decreases the risks of moderate to serious injuries by 50 percent.
The Missouri Car Accident Lawyers with Cofman Townsley Injury Lawyers would like to remind motorists that the best way to keep themselves and their passengers safe in a vehicle is to always buckle up. Additionally, any child under eight-years-old should be restrained in a child safety seat and should never use standard seat-belts alone.