It’s a proven fact; seatbelts save lives. Despite numerous public safety campaigns and laws mandating their use however, many Alabama drivers still fail to buckle up. A recent wrongful death serves as a solemn reminder to all Alabamans of the importance of wearing a seat belt while in a moving vehicle.
Recently during the early morning hours, a 29-year-old woman was driving along an Alabama stretch of highway when she slowed her vehicle to make a turn. At this time, another car that was following behind the 29-year-old’s car slammed into the back of her vehicle.
The force of the rear-end crash caused the 29-year-old’s car to veer into oncoming lanes of traffic. An oncoming vehicle was unable to react quickly enough and ended up colliding with the 29-year-old’s vehicle. Sadly, the impact of the collision resulted in the 29-year-old, who was not wearing a seatbelt, being ejected from her car.
First responders arriving at the accident scene pronounced the 29-year-old woman dead. Neither of the other two drivers involved in the multiple car accident were injured.
While a seatbelt doesn’t guarantee that a fatality won’t occur, seatbelts greatly reduce the likelihood that an individual will be ejected from a vehicle. Had the 29-year-old been wearing a seatbelt at the time of the collisions, it’s likely she may have survived.
This fatal accident was ultimately caused by the negligent acts of the driver who rear-ended the 29-year-old woman. Should they choose to do so, the woman’s family could file a wrongful death claim. While nothing can ease the pain of losing a loved one, a wrongful death claim can help cover expenses often associated with the unexpected loss of a loved one.
Source: Alabama Live, “Enterprise woman killed in three-vehicle crash on Highway 167 in Coffee County,” Erin Edgemon, Jan. 20, 2013
