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Unbelted death in county among many in state [UPDATED]
Published 11:00am Thursday, January 19, 2012 Updated 1:01pm Thursday, January 19, 2012Eight of Minnesota’s first 10 motorist deaths in 2012 were not buckled up, according to preliminary reports from the Minnesota Department of Public Safety (DPS) Office of Traffic Safety.
DPS also reports a poor belt use period in December 2011. Preliminary reports from last month indicate 23 motorists were killed and only five were known to be buckled up.
Though Otter Tail County didn’t rank among the first 10 motorist deaths, residents have already seen the danger of unbelted driving firsthand in 2012.
Duane Reed, 56, of Perham, died Jan. 14 after crashing his pickup truck on County Highway 51, north of Perham. The unbelted Reed was thrown from his vehicle as it rolled.
“It’s important that people do wear their seatbelts, and they do save lives,” said Stacy Paulseth, chief deputy with the Otter Tail County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies “regularly” see accidents in which victims would have been less injured if they were wearing a seatbelt, Paulseth said. However, the sheriff’s office has been encouraged by how many people are wearing their seatbelts when deputies run compliance checks every few months.
“They’ve been averaging around 82 percent,” said Paulseth. “Eighty-two percent is pretty good, but obviously 100 percent is better.”
The first 10 2012 unbelted fatalities occurred in the counties of Crow Wing, Faribault (two), Goodhue (two), Kandiyohi, Wadena and Winona. Among the unbelted victims were three teenagers.
In Minnesota, drivers and passengers in every seat must be belted. Law enforcement will ticket unbelted drivers and passengers.
