Families reel from fatal crashes as NY eyes tougher seat belt laws
But they also know that some of the occupants were more at risk of injury and death for another reason: They were not wearing seat belts.
"I think anytime you wear a seat belt, you're better off. You have a better chance if something happens," said
It was the second time in May that seat belt use figured into a fatal crash. The other one involved a
Such incidents are why safety experts are pushing people to heed a law that has been on the books in
It's also why
The state
"This is common-sense legislation that will save lives," said
Data from the state
Sen.
"A recent poll released by the
--Rear seat occupants who do not buckle up are three times more likely to be killed and eight times more likely to be seriously injured in a crash.
--46% of rear seat occupants in fatal crashes are unbelted.
--
"That is the alleged actions of Mr. (Richard)
Sawicki, 20, of
His damaged pickup truck was found in a ditch off the side of
"It looked like something exploded," said
"People were in all directions," Kelly said. "Normally in an accident, they're confined in and around the vehicle."
More than 75 volunteers responded to the grisly scene. Besides the two adult victims who were killed, Kyara, the 4-year-old girl who died, was rushed from the scene to the
"It was the worst scene I've ever seen,"
"There were people everywhere. There were crashed vehicles there. And, there was debris," said
Brandon, who lives down the street from the crash site, arrived at the scene with a pair of ambulances.
"It was evident there had been multiple ejections," Brandon said. "I'm sure the terminology 'war zone' has been used, and quite frankly, it wasn't a pleasant scene for anyone to come into."
Sawicki faces charges of aggravated vehicular homicide, driving while intoxicated and reckless driving. If convicted of the highest charge, he faces 8 1/3 to 25 years in prison.
Rudolph said sheriff's deputies were still seeking statements, collecting crash data and trying to figure out who was seated where in the van, but said it was clear that everyone wasn't wearing a safety belt and car seats were not found in the vehicle. State law requires that children aged 4 to 7 to be in "an appropriate child restraint system," and currently, backseat passengers up to age 16 are required to wear seatbelts.
O'Geen responded with indignation at the suggestion that the family's failure to use seat belts contributed to the tragedy.
"Today is the day the victim blaming is going to stop," O'Geen said. "This family is in crisis. They are in mourning. They are worried about their children. They're worried about making arrangements for their fallen family members. What they need is our support and compassion."
O'Geen added: "Yes, we do not want people to put nine people in a seven-person van. We don't want people not to buckle their kids in the proper restraints. But that is not what caused the deaths of these victims. There's only one cause of that. And, that is the alleged actions of
The district attorney said the sheriff's department would have the ultimate decision as to whether to issue citations for the seat belt or other child restraint violations, but added he had no appetite to prosecute any such violations.
"We're not going to be prosecuting tickets against this family. What are we going to do with tickets that have fines and surcharges when they have to live with the cost of their family members?," O'Geen said. "That's just my position."
A makeshift roadside memorial was erected on the southwest side of
___
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