Seat belt use a factor in fatal crashes 61 percent of those
killed in Portage County in 2007 did not use restraints
January 13, 2008
By Marci Piltz
Record-Courier staff writer
Despite several common factors in the 22 fatal crashes in
Portage County in 2007, a lack of seat belt usage continues to
worry local law enforcement authorities.
"We know from statistics that two-thirds of the people killed in
fatal crashes in 2007 would likely still be here today if they
had been wearing a seat belt," said Lt. Michael Marucci,
commander of the Ravenna Post of the Ohio Highway Patrol. "A
seat belt increases your chance of survival in a crash by 66
percent."
In 2007, the county had a total of 23 fatal crashes with 24
people killed, Marucci said. One of those, the death of a
pedestrian on the Ohio Turnpike in Windham, was not factored
into the Ravenna post's figures, Marucci said. The figures are
based on 22 fatal crashes with 23 people killed.
Of those 23 people killed, seat belts were available in all but
five cases. Yet 61 percent of those killed were not wearing seat
belts when one was available.
Marucci said troopers often hear the same two excuses from
drivers who don't buckle up: Drivers either say they've known
someone killed in a crash because they had a seat belt on or
they just find the seat belt to be uncomfortable.
"The chances of a seat belt saving your life are far greater
than being killed as a result of wearing one," Marucci said. "A
lot of times, people seem to worry that if they have one on and
get in a crash and the car catches fire, they won't be able to
get out. But in 2007, that was not even a factor in any of the
fatal crashes we saw. Very rarely does a car catch fire and
someone is unable to escape due to a seat belt."
Marucci also said if comfort is a problem, many stores sell pads
or cushions to slip over a seat belt and make it more
comfortable.
"They don't change where the belt sits across your shoulder, and
it does make it more comfortable," he said.
Other major factors contributing to 2007's fatal crashes in
Portage County included drug or alcohol use, failure to yield
violations and speed, Marucci said.
"Thirty-nine percent of the fatalities in 2007 were
speed-related," he said. "Another 22 percent occurred following
failure to yield violations and 13 percent were from left of
center violations."
At least 10 drivers involved in a fatal crash in 2007 tested
positive for drugs or alcohol, with four cases still pending
toxicology results. Still, those 10 drivers whose results
already have been returned account for 56 percent of the fatal
crashes countywide.
"The particular drugs being used were marijuana, cocaine, things
of that nature," Marucci said of the five drivers who tested
positive for drugs. "It was not prescription-type medication
involved here."
Five other drivers tested above the legal threshold for
blood-alcohol concentration of 0.08 percent. The BAC levels of
those drivers ranged from .102 to .300 percent, nearly four
times the legal limit in Ohio.
In 2006, Portage County had a total of 21 deaths from 18
crashes. Sixty-percent of those killed failed to use a seat belt
when one was available, and 47 percent of the crashes involved
drugs or alcohol.
Despite a slight increase in the county's figures there is good
news, Marucci said. Statewide, fatal traffic crashes have
decreased as has the number of alcohol-related traffic deaths.
"You'll have peaks and valleys, and I think last year we
unfortunately had a peak," he said. "We're going to continue
focusing on problem areas, such as Interstate 76 and U.S. 224,
the dangerous intersections in the county and looking for those
violations that cause crashes, both fatal and non-fatal. We want
to make the community safer."
"
E-mail: mpiltz@recordpub.com
Phone: (330) 296-9657