A young man is dead after losing control of his car on June 18, 2011, in Yorktown, Virginia (VA).
According to the Virginian-Pilot, the driver of a Mazda Protege was traveling south of Victory Boulevard when he lost control and ran his vehicle off the road. When he overcorrected, a Jeep Cherokee hit the driver’s-side door. The driver of the Protege was not wearing a seat belt. The driver of the Jeep Cherokee was wearing her seat belt. She escaped the accident with injuries, but is expected to survive.
We do not know what caused the driver to suddenly lose control of his car. Authorities do not know whether or not alcohol was a factor at the time of this posting.
This tragic Virginia car accident is a cautionary tale for anyone who chooses not to wear a seat belt, particularly young drivers who may feel invincible behind the wheel. Despite seat belt safety laws like Click It or Ticket, a recent study found that nearly 45 million Americans still choose not to buckle up.
On any given day, an average of 38 drivers not wearing seat belts will be killed. The least likely to buckle up? Teens, followed by young adults, males, and night time drivers.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration states that buckling up is the “single most effective thing you can do to protect yourself in a crash.” Wearing your seat belt not only keeps you safe in the event of an accident, but works along with other safety features, including your air bags.
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