According to WLOX, a fatal collision occurred at the intersection where East Wortham Road meets Highway 67 in Harrison County earlier this month. The accident happened at around 5:45 p.m. on the Friday before Christmas and resulted in the death of a 52-year-old woman.
Suv Headlights 4X4
Officials determined that the woman was driving a KIA Soul on MS 67 and was heading south when she merged into a turning lane so she could turn onto East Wortham Road. As the woman approached the turn, a Ford F-150 that was traveling north on MS 67 struck the passenger side of her vehicle.
Mississippi Highway Patrol claim the woman in the KIA had not been wearing her seat belt at the time of the collision, and responders pronounced her dead at the scene. According to police, both the 77-year-old driver of the Ford and her passenger were wearing seat belts when the crash occurred.
They sustained minor injuries, and responders transported them to Garden Park hospital for treatment. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
If you were hurt in a car accident that was not your fault, turn to Heilman Law Group. You may be entitled to compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Call 601-914-1025 to schedule a case evaluation with a compassionate car accident attorney in Jackson.
Do Crash Statistics Indicate That Seat Belts Save Lives?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 50 percent of people who sustain fatal injuries in motor vehicle collisions are not wearing their safety belts at the time of the crash. Fortunately, seat belt use is on the rise in this country.
In 1981, just 11 percent of individuals riding in motor vehicles wore safety restraints. By 2010, that figure had increased to 85 percent.
Researchers have determined that among front-seat passengers and motorists, seat belts reduce the risk of sustaining serious injuries in an accident by 50 percent and the risk of dying in a crash by 45 percent. As a result, safety restraints have saved an estimated 255,000 lives since 1975.
Does Every State Have a Seat Belt Law?
There are two kinds of seat belt laws in this country: primary and secondary. In states with primary seat belt laws, police can ticket drivers and passengers solely for failing to wear a safety restraint. In states with secondary laws, on the other hand, police can only ticket offenders for failing to wear a safety restraint if they also committed another citable traffic violation.
According to the Governors Highway Safety Association, the only state without a primary or secondary seat belt law is New Hampshire; however, even they have enacted a primary child seat belt law that applies to all motorists and passengers who are younger than 18.
Unfortunately, even safety restraints are not foolproof when it comes to catastrophic collisions. If you were hurt in a car accident despite wearing your seat belt, turn to Heilman Law Group.
A compassionate attorney from our firm can assess the circumstances of the crash to determine if you have grounds for a claim. Call 601-914-1025 to schedule a consultation with a car accident lawyer in Jackson. If you want to learn more about collision claims in Mississippi, visit USAttorneys.com.
