One teenager was killed and five others were injured in a car accident near Vacaville the evening of July 27, 2010. According to a Bay City News report, the driver, an 18-year-old girl, was speeding in a Volkswagen Jetta in the eastbound lanes of Vaca Valley Road when she lost control of the car and struck a tree. The fatal injury crash happened near the intersection of Pleasant Valley Road in unincorporated Solano County. California Highway Patrol officials say that out of the six people in the car, only one was wearing a seatbelt. The five injured teens sustained moderate to critical injuries. All were transported to area hospitals for treatment.

I offer my heartfelt sympathies to everyone who knew and loved the young car accident victim for their devastating loss. I also wish the injured victims the very best for a quick and complete recovery. They will be in my thoughts and prayers.

Car Accident Statistics

According to CHP's 2008 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), there were four fatalities and 233 injuries involving car accidents in Vacaville. In Solano County as a whole, 33 people died and 1,735 were injured as a result of car accidents during the same year.

Seatbelt Statistics

The National Safety Council's research shows that seatbelt use has been increasing and averages at about 84 percent nationally. Among the groups less likely to buckle up are teens, commercial driver, males in rural areas, drivers of pickup trucks, night-time drivers and drunk drivers. The undisputable fact remains that seatbelts do save lives.

NSC's data show that seatbelts saved more than 75,000 lives from 2004 to 2008. About 42 percent of vehicle occupants killed in 2007 were unbelted. Also, a 2009 study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates more than 1,600 lives could be saved and 22,000 personal injuries could be prevented if seatbelt use was 90 percent in each state.

Defective Seatbelt Cases

In such cases, it is also important to look into whether any seat restraint system failure caused the serious injuries. Very often, accident investigators tend to assume, when someone is ejected from a vehicle, that they were not belted. However, there are many cases where catastrophic injuries are caused by seatbelt defects. An experienced California personal injury lawyer will be able to analyze all facets of an accident and make sure that the injuries or deaths were not the result of malfunctions or defective auto products.

How do you ensure that your teen driver is buckled up? We would like to hear your comments and opinions on this important issue.

The BISNAR|CHASE personal injury law firm is not representing any of the parties mentioned in this article at the time the article was posted. Our information source is cited in the article. If you were involved in this incident or a similar incident and have questions as to your rights and options, call us or another reputable law firm. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. Get a consultation. The best law firms will provide a free consultation. We provide a free, confidential consultation to not at fault persons named in this article. The free consultation offer extends to family members as well.

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