OPP Inspector shaken by recent deaths that could have been prevented

A note from Inspector Mark Andrews
Highway Safety Division - Ontario Provincial Police
North East Region

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This week, within a 24 hour period, eight people were involved in two collisions where seatbelts or the lack of seat belt use, played a pivotal role in the outcome. My condolences go out to family and friends who are suffering the aftermath. Personally, I am truly shaken by these circumstances knowing that seat belts would have made a difference.

On May 31st at 11:30 p.m. on Highway 11, Temagami, a 15 year old girl, not wearing her seatbelt, was ejected from the van she was in and died on the roadway, her 16th birthday mere minutes away. The driver of the van crossed the center line and collided with a transport truck and died as a result. The other passengers, also not wearing their seatbelts, a 13 and an 18 year old, suffered serious injuries. Fortunately, the driver of the transport was wearing his seat belt and was not physically injured. He did everything he could to avoid the oncoming van, but the crash was inevitable.

On June 01, at 3:30 p.m. on Highway 17, Thessalon, an 18 year old driver attempted to pass a transport truck on the right, lost control and rolled the vehicle. One of his two passengers, a 65 year old who was unbelted, was ejected from the back seat. Both passengers in the vehicle were seriously injured.

In less than a day , two people are dead and five others are in hospital with serious, life-altering injuries. A tragic and heartbreaking reality.

As of June 01, Ontario Provincial Police North East Regional totals in 2010 for fatal collisions and persons killed is 16 fatal collisions and 21 people dead. This time last year, we had 9 fatal collisions and 10 people dead.

So far this year in the North East Region, there have been 248 personal injury collisions and 1,565 property damage collisions. Last year at this time, 336 and 1,964 respectively.

The Ontario Provincial Police will continue to maintain its high visibility and focus on impaired driving, aggressive driving and seat belt compliance. We will be driving that message home through the assistance of local media, public education and joint enforcement operations with our partners. Each and every police officer is determined to make a difference.

Some people say that a $240.00 ticket is a steep fine for not wearing a seatbelt, but having a young person die instead of blowing out a birthday candle is a much steeper price to pay.

Please, wear your seat belts and make sure your children are safely buckled in.

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