5 Dead, 7 Critical in La. Highway Crash

(CBS/AP)  A crowded minivan full of children who were not wearing seatbelts blew a tire, clipped a delivery truck, and rolled on a Louisiana interstate Saturday, killing five people and injuring 10, seven critically, state police said.

The crash occurred after the tire blew out on the van's front driver side, CBS Affiliate WWL reports. The van then hit the delivery truck traveling in the same direction on I-10, rolled about 200 feet across the median and landed on its tires in the oncoming lanes. No other vehicles were involved.

"It appears the tire blew out and the driver overcorrected," said Trooper Russell Graham.

Thirteen children riding without seatbelts were thrown from the van, including four of the dead who were found in the median of Interstate 10 near Baton Rouge, Louisiana State Police said.

All those killed and injured were aboard the GMC Safari minivan, and some were related, police spokesman Russell Graham said.

"I just saw the vehicle flip about three or four times and kids flying everywhere," witness Tammy Hall told WAFB. "It looked to be about 10 to 11 kids out of the car. And everyone started stopping, and we went to get her, and you could tell the driver was dead instantly."

The van didn't have enough seatbelts for the 13, and capacity likely wouldn't have exceeded 10, Graham said.

The driver, 38-year-old Mona Hines, was killed. She and a front-seat passenger, 28-year-old Stacey Hines, appeared to be the only ones wearing seatbelts

The 10 survivors were in critical condition Saturday afternoon at two Baton Rouge hospitals, Graham said.

State police said seven children remained in critical condition Sunday. Another two with moderate injuries are considered stable. Stacey Hines was also in stable condition.

Police identified the children killed as 2-year-old Ricky Hines Jr.; 12-year-old Lachante Floyd; 14-year-old Edward Barnes; and 14-year-old Ashley Hines.

The driver of the truck managed to steer to the side of the road and was not injured.

"The Louisiana Legislature just passed a law making it mandatory to wear seatbelts in both the front and back seats," Graham said. "This is a good illustration of why they did."

The interstate was closed in both directions for about three hours Saturday afternoon.

"Well it just points out, I guess, the fragile nature of life and death, particularly when you're going 70 miles an hour on the interstate, and one minor mistake can be so, you end up with tragic results, such as this one did," said Ascension Parish Sheriff Jeff Wiley.

CBS Affiliate WAFB in Baton Rouge reports the victims were from the Harvey area near New Orleans.

[imastarx3]

Really i say it dont matter. i knew those people & all yall up there just talkin. dang have sum sympathy . R.i.P ASHLEY HiNES ! i love yu & miss yu gurl

[proudmilvet]

Yet you have some Brilliant minds that are totally against the mandatory wearing of seatbelts because, "The Government should'nt be able to tell me what to do! They can't take away my individual Freedom!"

[helensuedell]

This story has been repeated many times before. From where were they
traveling. I count 15 people. Vans at high speed have poor control and
the driver must realize how many persons life was in his hands. Speed is
not mentioned but I am certain it was excessive.
I am hoping this will be a wake-up call that a vechile is also a tool
of death. Many conditions cause accidents. Use it wisely.
Two years on a very winding Hwy 299 between Redding and WEaverville
my daughter's van hit black ice and overturned. Everyone was wearing seatbelts . She was found immmediatly by another driver. THey all walked
away without a scratch. Being fully aware is most important rule of the road. Luck is'nt always a factor.

[formrusmcsgt]

15 in a van built, at best, for 10.....

You can't get much more irresponsible than that.

[erasmus111]

If the driver hadn't have died, she probably would have wished she had. I don't know that I could live with the fact that I over stuffed my vehicle with kids, no seatbelts for them, and now they are dead and seriously injured.

And don't bother trying to tell me that it wasn't her fault. There is a good chance that that tire may not have blown if the vehicle wasn't over weight.

[krmopilci]

hurry up-time is money!

[door331]

another point that is never brought up in these cases is condition of these vehicles-- A freak blow may occur but it is very rare-- the tires on that vehicle were probably in bad shape and should have been replaced-- disheveled vehicles like this should not be allowed on our interstates. They pose a danger to everyone driving.

[mollydtt]

The safest place to ride is in the back seat. I'm sure that if the driver could manage to find a way to wear a seatbelt and drive form the back seat, I'm sure she would have.
I have chauffered my daughter around town for years, and I've made her ride in the back, with a seatbelt. And I know that if we were in a wreck, I'd probably suffer the worst injuries.
So for all of you who have proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that the driver, who was wearing a seatbelt died because seatbelts don't save lives---think again.
Nothing is absolute, but seatbelts really do save lives.

[newsterl]

"seatbelts really do save lives."

not in mini vans, the driver is right up in the very front corner with almost no protection, and their legs right out in front.
Vans of any kind stink

[e_t_t_s]

"The Louisiana Legislature just passed a law making it mandatory to wear seatbelts in both the front and back seats," Graham said. "This is a good illustration of why they did."

Number of people wearing seatbelts: 2. Number of people killed who were wearing seatbelts: 1
Number of people not wearing seatbelts: 13. Number of people killed who were not wearing seatbelts: 4

So percentage of people killed wearing seatbelts: 50%
Percentage of people killed not wearing seatbelts: 31%

For those of us not educated in Louisiana, how is this a good illustration?

[actornaught]

by e_t_t_s November 29, 2009 12:25 PM EST

A good example of how a few out-of-context statistics can be manipulated to "prove" something stupid.

[ianlou]

It's interesting how this story is all about the kids not being buckeled up while stating that the only people who WERE buckeled up, DIED. Obviosly seat belts are a good idea, but are not the end all answer. Sounds like we need safer tires.