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Published on Wednesday, July 7, 2004
in the Miami Herald
Thirty-two people in Florida died in crashes over the Fourth of July weekend -- the numbers equating to one death every three hours, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
Authorities blame most of those deaths on increased drinking and the lack of seat belt use.
''It's frustrating,'' FHP Maj. Ernesto Duarte said. ``We don't know why people don't take the extra second or two to click their seat belt.''
FATAL ACCIDENTS
In 71 percent of the fatal accidents this holiday weekend, the victims were not wearing seat belts, Duarte said. Last year, it was 43 percent.
''It's definitely above average,'' FHP spokesman Lt. Julio Pajon said.
FHP's preliminary traffic report tracked 27 separate crashes in the 96-hour period starting Friday and ending Monday. In 2003, 25 deaths occured during the 72-hour holiday weekend.
This weekend's fatal crashes occured in 19 of Florida's 67 counties -- with Miami-Dade County having the highest death toll of five.
None of the five people were wearing seat belts.
According to FHP, those killed in Miami-Dade include:
• Salvador Dominguez, killed in a motorcycle accident Saturday.
• Bo Perry, who was driving while impaired by alcohol and was not wearing a seatbelt, according to FHP, was killed Sunday night.
• Jasmine Valdez, 11, and Orlando Valdez, 6, were killed after the SUV they were riding in flipped over a concrete barrier on Interstate 95 on Monday morning. Neither was wearing a seat belt.
• Thelma Vargas, who FHP said was driving while not wearing a seat belt and under the influence of alcohol, died Monday night.
''It's an issue of personal choice,'' Duarte said. ``We know there is a correlation between the usage rate and death rate, but there is only so much that law enforcement can do.''
In Florida, police can only write a seat belt ticket if the driver is stopped for another reason.
According to the report, 22 percent of the fatal accidents were alcohol-related. An additional 33 percent remain unknown as police await toxicology reports.
''You have a lot of people leaving parties where there is alcohol,'' Duarte said. ``Typically, people who are drinking and driving do not wear seat belts.''
SEAT BELTS
Duarte said driver inattentiveness and aggressive driving, along with the increased numbers of drivers on the road, are also primary causes of accidents.
''The sheer volume of residents coupled with the number of visitors over the holiday creates an environment that these crashes will occur,'' he said.