Fatal I-4 Car Crash Illustrates Importance of Seat Belt Use

By Orlando Personal Injury Attorney on February 14, 2011

A rollover crash that claimed the life of a Boone High School student and her boyfriend and injured four other teens recently illustrated the importance of seat belt use for all drivers and passengers. Orlando auto injury lawyer James O. Cunningham has been helping auto accident victims since 1977 and has seen many serious injuries and deaths occur that were preventable if the victims had been wearing seat belts.

Although auto accident fatalities among teenagers here in Florida and across the country have declined over the last several years, all young drivers should know that half of all teenage drivers and passengers killed each year were not wearing their seat belts. Research performed by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration suggests that drivers aged 15 to 20 years old represent only six percent of licensed drivers in the U.S. However, 19 percent of all auto accident fatalities in this country every year are between the ages of 15 and 20 years old.

Accident investigators with the Florida Highway Patrol say the 17-year-old Boone High student and her boyfriend were not wearing seat belts when the Ford Expedition rolled on Interstate 4 in Lake Mary recently. Both teens suffered fatal injuries in the crash, and officers suspect that none of the four teenage passengers in the SUV was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash either.

“We suspect no one was wearing a seat belt in the vehicle, but we can’t confirm that until we complete the investigation,” FHP Sgt. Kim Montes said. “Teenagers are still the group that takes the highest risks among drivers in our area and one of the main concerns is they are not wearing their seat belts.”

Our state ranks second in the nation after Texas as the state with most auto accident deaths among drivers and passengers not wearing seat belts. When a negligent driver strikes drivers and passengers of all ages, seat belts can make a huge difference in the type and severity of injuries suffered and the recovery time from those injuries. If you or a close family member has experienced injury due to a negligent driver and you need to seek damages to help pay for medical bills, call Orlando personal injury attorney James O. Cunningham today at 888-425-2004 or 407-425-2000. During your free consultation, Mr. Cunningham will answer all your questions and explain Florida laws in plain language so that you and your family can make informed decisions about what would be best for you.

James O. Cunningham

Since 1977, personal injury lawyer James Cunningham has provided effective legal advocacy to people who are injured through the negligent actions of another person or entity throughout the Central Florida area. He fights to obtain recoveries for his clients’ physical and emotional pain and suffering and pursues his clients’ personal injury cases with a commitment to excellence and impeccable preparation.