Sterling Sibling - accident

“Saved by the Belt” – Teen and Grandfather survive horrific crash

A boy and his grandfather are alive because they wore their seatbelts and today, they were honored with the “Saved by the Belt” award from the Rice County Safe Roads Coalition and TZD and Rice County Law Enforcement.  Sheriff Troy Dunn said if they weren’t wearing their seatbelts the outcome would’ve been very different.  The photos showed their vehicle was rolled over with the top crushed down.

Dunn said they’re alive because they made the right choice.  TZD Coordinator Kathy Cooper commented that even though the percentage of those who wear seatbelts is at 94% but in Rural Minnesota it’s less and if you take that percentage times Minnesota’s population, it’s thousands and thousands of people.  When the seatbelt law was first enacted in 1986, police couldn’t stop someone just for that reason.  Cooper called the “fake law”.  The federal government at the time, demanded states enact the law to receive federal funding for roads.  It was the only safety law of about 1200 like that.  13 year old Logan Sterling Meyers said the accident was “pretty terrible”, his grandfather, Sterling Sibley was emotional, “it was quite a ride, yeah, it’s been a year but it’s not over yet, I guess”.  He still relives the crash which happened in September of last year when a pickup ran the stop sign. They thanked the emergency responders, who were all at the ceremony.  Not until 2009, was a law passed that allowed police to pull you over simply for not wearing your seatbelt and that includes everyone in the vehicle.  Ninety-one people that were killed last year, were not wearing belts.  Northfield Sgt. Kevin Tussing said you are 6 times more likely to be injured if you’re not wearing a seatbelt.  He added that you never know when another driver will make a poor decision and put your life in danger.  Seatbealt enforcement is on now through October 30th.  The crash occurred at Hwy 246 and Co. Rd. 1.  

From: https://kymnradio.net/2016/10/20/todays-news-update-booker-gets-backing-saved-belt-teen-grandfather-survive-horrific-crash-lwv-hosts-northfield-mayoral-council-candidate-forum-saturday/    (includes pictures)