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A 3-month-old boy suffered a fractured skull when a minivan rear-ended another vehicle driving backwards on the New York State Thruway near the northbound toll plaza in Spring Valley, NY.
A 14-month-old girl suffered bruises during the crash as well. according to police reports both babies were sitting on the laps of adults and safely secured in rear-facing infant seats when the crash occurred.
The 3-month-old boy suffered bleeding on his brain and was being treated in the hospital’s ICU. The 14-month-old girl suffered minor bumps and bruises.
Both vehicles were demolished.
The crash occurred the driver of the four-door sedan on the the state highway accidentally passing the tollbooths, where trucks must pay to drive on the Thruway.
The driver began then to back up along the center lane when a minivan rammed the sedan from behind. The van carried 12 passengers, including the two infants and was traveling from Brooklyn to Monroe.
The impact propelled the sedan forward by 30 feet, according to police. No other persons were hurt in the collision, other then the babies.
Let's review the factors that contributed to this vehicle accident.
- Distraction of the drivers
- Negligence of the parents involved not safely restraining the two children.
It is common knowledge that children under 4 must be buckled in child safety seats. The speed of the two vehicles is also under investigation. Injuries could have been prevented in recent New York rear-end accident had proper child restraint precautions taken.
New York car accident attorney, Paul Ajlouny reminds drivers that what the child restraint laws are:
- Children under three years old must use an appropriate child restraint when traveling in vehicle (except in the rear of a taxi).
- Children aged three or more years old and up must use an appropriate child restraint when traveling in vehicles fitted with seat belts
