A newlywed couple was in a single-vehicle crash Saturday, August 21, that left the husband dead and the wife seriously injured, a St. Petersburg Times article reported.
The accident happened in Brooksville, Florida, just before noon. Daryl and Tiffany Snyder were driving their 2003 Chevrolet S-10 pickup truck eastbound on Powell Road. It was raining. The truck began to rotate counter-clockwise before it ran off the road and onto the shoulder, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
That is where it struck a tree. Daryl, 20, was not wearing a seat belt and was ejected from the driver’s seat. Tiffany, 21, was wearing a seat belt, but received serious injuries. She was taken to Brooksville Regional Hospital.
The couple married in Brooksville on July 30.
Our sincere condolences go out to the family of Mr. Snyder. As is often the case with the comments following these stories, some insensitive people speculate he may have been drinking, but others insist he did not drink. The FHP says it was raining and the road was slick where the accident happened.
Seat Belt Usage
Florida drivers are doing a better job buckling up these days. Whether it is the new law that makes it mandatory, or the Click It or Ticket Campaign, for the first time, Florida drivers have a statewide seat belt use record of 85.2%.
The national seat belt use for 2009 is 84%.
Defective Product
The other possibility is that his seat belt could have been defective. Often this is a cause of injuries and death that is overlooked, as the assumption is that the seat belt will always work. When it does not, because the latch came undone, or the webbing broke, an individual can be ejected in an accident and suffer devastating head and brain injuries.
If you suspect part of your car may have failed and you suffered injuries as a result, the Florida auto product liability attorneys at Farah & Farah will be honored to consult with you on your accident.
