In the not-so-distant past, it was uncommon to see occupants of an automobile wearing their seatbelts in Massachusetts. Road trips with the family often involved placing the children unrestrained in the back of a station wagon or sedan. Since then, numerous studies and research has been devoted to educating the public on how seat belts and car seats can save lives. In many states, including Massachusetts, wearing a seat belt in a moving vehicle is the law.
It is not known if the occupants of a vehicle that was involved in a car accident recently in Massachusetts were wearing their seatbelts, but the fact that they were thrown from the car gives a pretty good indication that they were not. The crash happened in Brockton, at an intersection where another deadly accident happened just months before. Authorities are still investigating the accident, and have not indicated what caused it.
The accident happened around 9:00 p.m. at the intersection of North Quincy Street and Boundary Avenue. When authorities arrived on the scene, they found that at least two of the three people who were involved in the crash had been thrown from the vehicle. One of the passengers, a 19-year-old woman, was taken to a local hospital; and then airlifted to another hospital in Boston. She eventually died from her injuries. The driver and other passenger sustained serious injuries and were transported to a local hospital.
Those involved in the collision and the family members of the woman who was killed may wish to consult with an attorney regarding their right to compensation.
Source: Enterprise News, “Saugus woman identified as victim of fatal crash in Brockton,” Amy Carboneau, Oct. 30, 2013