|
Home Search |
Published on Tuesday, January 4, 2005
in the Miami Herald
Failure to use seat belts was a leading factor in the deaths of at least 25 people on Florida roadways over the three-day holiday weekend.
Thirteen people were killed in vehicles equipped with seat belts this New Year's weekend -- and only two of the victims apparently were buckled up, according to preliminary figures released Monday by the Florida Highway Patrol.
During last year's two-day New Year's holiday, the statewide death toll was 25. Five out of 18 people killed in vehicle accidents a year ago were wearing seat belts.
In Miami-Dade County, one accident-related death was reported during the holiday weekend that ran Friday through Sunday, the FHP said.
That person was not wearing a seat belt, the FHP said.
Among incidents in Broward County, a 39-year-old motorcyclist was killed Sunday night when his Harley-Davidson collided with a car in Pompano Beach.
Miami-Dade County FHP spokesman Lt. Julio Pajon said patrol officers were out in force due to the high volume of people on the roads.
''We were hoping that this would actually reduce the amount of deaths on the highway,'' Pajon said.
Highway officials say that getting people to wear seat belts remains a problem.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's most recent figures show that 59 percent of Florida's accident-related deaths for the year 2003 involved people not wearing seat belts. Nationally, 52 percent of traffic fatalities involved not using seat belts.
In 2003, 2,105 people -- 1,245 unbelted -- died in Florida from car crashes.
At least one traffic death over this New Year's weekend involved alcohol, compared to eight statewide a year ago.
Several other holiday deaths were blamed on late-night driving.