Arrest Reports

A Rogersville woman’s death Tuesday on U.S. 72 in Limestone County marked the 16th fatal accident in the county since the beginning of the year, an official said.

That is the highest death toll Limestone has had in recent years, according to Limestone County Coroner Mike West.

“So far this year, there have been 16 fatal accidents, including two boating accidents,” said West, who is also the head of Athens-Limestone Emergency Medical Services. “Last year at this time, we only had nine. In both 2016 and 2017, there were 11, so we are ahead.”

When asked why he thought the fatality rate was higher this year, West said, “I wish I knew.”

Wearing a seat belt is one of the most effective ways to save lives and reduce injuries in crashes, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. However, many of the fatalities this year involved unrestrained victims, such as the Rogersville woman.

In that case, she was an unrestrained passenger in a Jeep that wrecked near Dement Road. The driver and another passenger in the Jeep were also unrestrained and were ejected through the front windshield. They were taken to Huntsville Hospital for treatment. Their conditions are unknown.

West said “by far, most people do” wear seat belts.

“Seat belts are made to keep you in a car and, with airbags, to keep you from getting seriously injured,” West said.

Nowadays, he said, people are surviving even rollover accidents, sometimes with minor injuries, because of seat belts.

“Years ago, without seat belts, if you got in a rollover, you were ejected,” West said.

The speed of the vehicle, or vehicles, involved in a wreck is also a factor. An increase in speed increases the intrusion of one vehicle into another, which increases the chance of fatal injuries.

“The faster you go, the more energy is transferred to you and the car, and the more intrusion there is into the compartment,” West said.