| id | cleanReleaseDate | troopName | title |
| 806 | 2009-12-26 | Troop A | Troopers Continue to See Fatal Crashes; Lack of Seat Belt Use Common Factor |
| LOUISIANA STATE POLICE COURTESY LOYALTY SERVICE Colonel Michael D. Edmonson, Superintendent TROOP A - NEWS RELEASE Troopers Continue to See Fatal Crashes; Lack of Seat Belt Use Common Factor BATON ROUGE – Louisiana State Police Troop A investigated a single-vehicle fatal crash shortly before midnight last night in Pointe Coupee Parish. Collese Williams (B/F, age 48) of Baton Rouge was driving a 1996 Chevrolet Astro Van south on LA 415 north of LA 414 when she ran off the road to the right. Williams overcorrected, crossed the centerline, overcorrected again, and began to rotate clockwise. The van overturned multiple times before coming to rest on the driver’s side in the roadway. Williams was not wearing a seatbelt when the crash occurred, was ejected from the van, and sustained fatal injuries. She was pronounced deceased on the scene by the Pointe Coupee Parish Coroner’s Office. Alcohol use by Williams is unknown at this time. Troopers have submitted a sample of her blood to the Louisiana State Police Crime Lab for chemical analysis. This is the third fatal vehicle crash in three days where the deceased was not wearing a seatbelt. Troop A investigated over forty (40) crashes in the past two days, and the occupants were properly restrained in the majority of these crashes. In ALL three fatal vehicle crashes, the deceased were not wearing seat belts. Wearing a seat belt is a decision that all vehicle occupants must make. According to the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission, over 65% of fatal crashes in 2008 occurred when the occupant was not restrained. Statewide, seat belt use is higher than it has ever been before, and the percentage of crashes resulting in serious injuries and deaths is down. Troopers will continue to aggressively enforce Louisiana’s primary seat belt law in an effort to continue the increase of seat belt use. Troopers would like to remind EVERYONE to buckle up before getting on the roadway. BUCKLE UP, SEAT BELTS SAVE LIVES!!! Contact Information: | |||
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