Mother of Hurricanes Player Killed in Central Florida Car Crash
The mother of a University of Miami Hurricanes sophomore running back was killed Monday, December 20, in a Haines City two-vehicle crash that also injured his sister and her 5-year-old son.
Fox News reports that Mike James’ sister was driving the Ford Explorer in the Polk county town when it was hit at an intersection by a Toyota Corolla. The mother, Elgusta James, 47, who was not wearing her seat belt, was ejected from the vehicle, as was the 5-year-old. The boy was hospitalized in Orlando and is reported to be in serious condition, and his mother was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries. There were no charges immediately filed against the Toyota driver, who was not seriously injured.
James left the Coral Gables campus to be with his family and is uncertain whether he will play in the bowl game on December 31.
Our condolences go out to the friends and family of Ms. James.
Florida Seat Belt Laws
When Florida passed a seat belt law in June 2009, which allows officers to pull over drivers for the sole reason of not wearing their seatbelt, the federal government estimated that it would save 124 lives every year and prevent 1,733 serious injuries.
As of June 2010, the overall use of seat belts in the state was estimated at 87.4%, even higher than the national average of 85.2%. That is thought to be, in part, due to the Department of Transportation’s 2009 Click It or Ticket campaign and the state's primary enforcement law.
Florida car accident attorneys encourage everyone to buckle up. A seat belt is the single most effective piece of equipment a motor vehicle occupant can use to stay safe and help prevent serious injury or death from occurring in the event of a collision. However, even if a person was not wearing their seat belt when an accident took place, the person who is determined to have been responsible for the accident still may be held liable.
