Driver Killed And Passenger Seriously Injured In Rollover
Two people in their early 20s were involved in a serious rollover accident on I-75 when their vehicle left the roadway, entered the median, and struck a concrete drain before winding up in a construction site hole. No other vehicles were involved in the incident. The driver, who was thrown from the vehicle, died at the scene. His passenger suffered serious injuries and was hospitalized. At the time of the report, the cause of the accident was not yet known.
Seat Belts Often An Issue In Occupant Ejection
Though there is no mention of whether the vehicle’s occupants were wearing seat belts at the time of the accident, this is typically the kind of situation in which someone is ejected from a vehicle during a crash – an incident that often results in a fatality. Florida Code Section 316.614 sets forth the law with respect to seat belt usage in Florida. Generally speaking, it is against the law for anyone to drive a vehicle unless the following conditions are all met:
- Everyone in the vehicle under the age of 18 years old is either wearing a seatbelt or is in a car seat as appropriate and as required by other sections of the Code;
- The driver is wearing a seatbelt;
- Any passenger in the front seat who is 18 years old or older is wearing a seatbelt when the vehicle is moving.
Exceptions To Seat Belt Requirements
There are certain exceptions to the law – most notable is the lack of a requirement for back seat occupants who are 18 years of age or older to wear a seatbelt; it will be interesting to see if the law changes with respect to this. Other exceptions are specifically enumerated by the law, however; newspaper home delivery drivers, rural mail delivery drivers, and garbage collectors are not required to wear a seatbelt during the course of performing their job duties. Individuals who have medical conditions that make it dangerous or inappropriate to wear a seat belt are also not required to wear one. Passengers riding in the living areas of an RV or within the cargo section of a truck do not have to wear a seat belt nor do people riding in motor vehicles that are not equipped with seat belts and have no federal requirement to be equipped with them.
Reach Out to Us for Professional Assistance
When you find yourself or your loved one to be the victim of an accident, contact the office of Boone & Davis in Fort Lauderdale. Getting the information you need about your rights and responsibilities is the most important first step you can take to protect yourself. Our legal professionals have years of experience handling all types of accident cases and know the issues involved with each scenario. Our auto accident attorneys are here to help you recover for your losses. Don’t miss out getting the results you deserve – contact us online or call us today at 954.556.5260 to schedule your free consultation.
