A deadly accident involving four kids led to an arrest, authorities in Washington state reported.
Washington State Patrol reports that a Mazda Tribute was traveling east on SR 970 when the driver allowed the car to veer off the roadway. The vehicle then rolled down an embankment, landing on its top.
Police arrested the driver, a 51-year-old man from Seattle, on suspicion of driving while intoxicated.
The car was carrying four children. They were all ejected from the vehicle due to the accident. One of the children, a 13-year-old boy, died at the scene, while three other boys aged 12 and 13 suffered injuries.
The children were not wearing their seat belts at the time of the accident.
Authorities are investigating the accident to learn what caused it, so further details regarding the moments before the vehicle veered off the road were not immediately available.
Seat Belts Won’t Prevent An Accident But They Can Save Lives
Seat belts are designed to secure you in the event of impact. When we do not buckle up, we are putting ourselves in grave danger.
If you’re a driver and a parent, making sure your children have their seat belts on should be your top priority.
As infants and toddlers and up to a certain age, children should always go in a car seat or booster seat. Parents should follow the instructions in the owner’s manual and ask a certified car safety seat technician to check the seats whenever possible. That will help to ensure the seat is safe.
But even after the child no longer needs to be on a booster seat, parents must remember that seat belts must be on at all times. We must also teach our children to buckle up immediately upon entering a vehicle so they understand the importance of using the feature.
Hopefully, officials are able to investigate this accident thoroughly so we’re aware of what happened and may learn from this tragic accident.
Until then, we urge you to never expose yourself or other to deadly injuries by always buckling up and making sure all your passengers are buckled up.
