The tragic accident occurred this Saturday in Maó(Menorca) has left six people dead, including three minors. According to the Guardia Civil’s investigations, four of the occupants of the vehicle, who were not wearing seat belts, lost their lives when they hit a wall after colliding with a traffic circle in the Polígono Industrial de Maó. Among the unbelted victims were the 46-year-old woman in the back seat and her three children: two nine-year-old boys and an 11-year-old girl. The driver, a 56-year-old man, and his eldest daughter, aged 16, were wearing seat belts, but also died due to the violence of the impact.
Accident details
The accident took place at 19:54 hours on the road that connects the airport with Avenida Europa, at a traffic circle that gives access to the Industrial Estate of Maó. Eyewitnesses alerted the emergency services when they observed the vehicle, a Kia Creed, overturned and with the occupants trapped inside. The authorities confirmed that the number of occupants of the car exceeded its capacity. The first hypothesis points to excessive speed as a possible cause of the accident, although the investigation continues in the hands of the traffic section of the Guardia Civil.
Community impact
The victims were residents of Maó, and the news has generated deep consternation in the locality. Emergency crews, including several ambulances and the fire department, rushed to the scene, but were unable to save any of the occupants. Autopsies of the victims are scheduled for the coming days, and the results will help to clarify the cause of death, as well as other determining factors in the accident. This tragic incident underlines once again the importance of the use of seat belts, even in the rear seats. According to data from the Dirección General de Tráfico (DGT), the use of seat belts reduces the risk of death in traffic accidents by 50%.
