Bay City — 1 Dead, 9 Injured, After 4-Vehicle Crash on FM 457
Posted on Thursday, January 24th, 2019 at 10:20 pm
At approximately 6:40 p.m. on Friday, January 18, 2019, a fatal crash occurred on FM 457 that killed 1 child and injured 9 others.
According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, a 1997 Chevrolet pickup was traveling south when it drove into the northbound lane of FM 457, striking a 2016 GMC pickup and a Dodge Avenger. After the initial collision, the Dodge hit a 2013 Chevrolet pickup.
The driver of the Dodge was identified as Alexia Knowles, 24, and she was flown to Memorial Hospital in Houston for her injuries. With her were Alicia Williams, 49, Chundrea Tolbert, 28, and 4 children — a 2 year-old male, 6-year-old male, 8-year-old female, and 4-year-old female.
The 4-year-old girl was pronounced deceased while 9 other people were injured, including a 5-year-old and the driver who caused the collision.
According to preliminary investigation, the 4-year-old girl and the other children in the Dodge were not wearing seatbelts at the time of the crash.
It is unfortunate to hear of what happened to the people involved in this particular collision. Alas, car accidents like this happen quite often nowadays. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), car accidents happen almost every minute of every day, and for every 16 minutes, a car accident occurs that results in death. This can be translated to roughly about 6 million car accidents every year and 90 people dying in car accidents every day in the U.S. alone.
DUI (driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol), speeding, and reckless driving are the three most common causes of car accidents, but aside from these, not wearing a seatbelt is another factor that can increase the chances of dying in a car crash. In fact, it is noted that seatbelts reduce the risk of death by 45%, and they also cut the risk of serious injury by 50%. With this, people not wearing a seatbelt are 30 times more likely to be ejected from the vehicle during the crash.
If you are a victim of this kind of accident, or you know someone who is, or you lost a loved one because of this type of crash, then never hesitate to reach out for help. The police will be there for you, but more than that, car accident attorneys, especially those who specialize in truck accidents, are also present to help you protect your rights and get the justice that you deserve.
