Utah Seat Belt Laws - Click It or Ticket
“We're dedicating this weekend in Lindy's honor to say she was a good mother, she was doing everything right, she made one small mistake. In honor of her, we're asking everybody else, don't make the same mistake." –Highway Patrol Trooper Lee Perry
A tragic accident claims a mother’s life
Last week, Lindy Ross was driving through Tremonton in northern Utah with her three children safely secured in their car seats. Ross had always been faithful about wearing a seat belt, but had briefly taken it off to reach for something for the children. In this short timeframe, she lost control of the car and crashed. She did not survive the accident.
Ross’s nearest relative was out of state and was not be able to arrive at the scene of the crash for several hours. Lee Perry, a Utah Highway Patrol trooper, responded to the accident and was devastated at the scene. He felt an obligation as a husband and a father to make sure the children were in good care. He brought them dinner and took them to his home until their relatives arrived.
The Highway Patrol is dedicating their safety efforts this Memorial Day weekend in honor of Lindy. They do not want her death to be in vain, and will be keeping a close eye out for commuters not wearing their seat belts. Remember to never unbuckle your seat belt while driving. If you have to unbuckle your belt for any reason, pull over and do so.
Seat belts save lives.
According to saferoads.org, a traffic safety advocacy group, “lap-shoulder belt reduce the risk of fatal injury to front-seat occupants by 45%.” In 2004, an estimated 15,434 lives were saved on account of occupants wearing safety belts. Furthermore, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that 21,273 lives could have been saved in 2004 had the victims been wearing their seat belts.
Before you turn your ignition on, buckle your seat belt. Make it a habit that you never break.
Booster seats
The tragic accident that claimed the life of Lindy Ross offers an important case study about the safety benefits of booster seats. Utah state law requires all parents to place their children in age-appropriate seats up to the age of eight, or if the child grows taller than 57 inches. This law was passed on the heels of important research and statistics. In 2004, 495 children under the age of five died in an auto accident. Thirty-five percent (35%) of these children were not proper restrained in booster seats. In the same year, 451 lives were saved as a result of proper booster seats.
As a parent, it is your responsibility to place your child in an age-appropriate booster seat. The fatality rate of infants drops 75% if they are a placed in a car seat, while a toddler’s fatality rate drops 60% when placed in a booster seat. Furthermore, it is important to have your children in the back seat of the car, as they are 38% less likely to be injured in a traffic accident in the back seat.
Experts suggest infants should be placed in rear-facing infant seats until they are one year old. For toddlers, parents should use convertible seats until age three. Booster seats should be used for children between the ages of four and eight.
Are you the victim of a car accident?
If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident due to the negligence of another driver, you may benefit from hiring a skilled Utah personal injury attorney to handle your legal case. The Salt Lake City car accident lawyers at the Christensen Law Firm are experts in Utah injury law and offer superlative legal representation. For a free consultation about your legal rights, call us at 801.506.0800.
