Secured child survives I-25 crash that killed parents
A toddler girl is alive after a sobering fatal crash that killed both of her parents, including a Fort Collins teacher, on Interstate 25 on Friday night — a reminder of the importance of correctly installed car seats for children.
Genevieve Sommervold, 30, who taught science at Fort Collins High School, and Jared Sommervold, 34, who taught science in Longmont, were traveling south on I-25 Friday night when they drove off the right side of the road and their 2007 Lexus SUV rolled twice. Both adults were thrown from the vehicle and pronounced dead at the scene.
Their young daughter, who was said to be approximately 2 years old, was properly restrained in a child car seat in the back of the vehicle and came out of the crash physically unscathed, said Colorado State Patrol Trooper Tim Sutherland.
Sutherland is program coordinator for Car Seats Colorado, a CSP team dedicated to child passenger safety. This week is Child Passenger Safety Week in Colorado.
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Though it is tragic the young girl lost both her parents, Sutherland said "it's very rewarding to see that a car seat did its job," especially in a country where three out of four car seats are installed incorrectly.
Eight children age 11 and younger died in crashes in Colorado last year, according to CSP. In Colorado, Larimer, Weld and Morgan counties rank highest for child fatalities in Colorado.
"Whether that's because of seats installed incorrectly, I can't tell you," he said.
But he knows car seats make a difference. Why? A child's body isn't fully formed so adult passenger restraints don't fit a child correctly.
"If you put a child in the back seat and put a seat belt across them, it’s going to ride up, they’ll have the potential of sliding out and it doesn’t protect and hold them in," Sutherland said.
Colorado law requires children to be in a rear-facing car seat in the back of the vehicle for those up to age 1. Children younger than 8 must use a child restraint. Sutherland said it's recommended to keep a child rear-facing as long as possible because a rear-facing seat best absorbs the impact of a crash. Though children are better restrained in a forward-facing seat than in adult restraints, their body still absorbs the velocity of a crash when forward-facing.
The level of protection decreases as a child graduates to each level of restraint.
"You can never protect somebody 100 percent from being hurt in a car accident, but you can do your due diligence by securing them," Sutherland said.
It's important to have a car seat that is up to date (most car seats expire after six years) and has never been in a crash, he added. He cautions against buying used car seats at flea markets, garage sales and online.
And car seats can be dangerous if not installed correctly, he added. Car Seats Colorado offers free car seat inspections across Colorado. Visit www.carseatscolorado.com for a complete list of inspection sites, safety tips and videos to ensure the child is secured correctly. Many hospitals offer car seat inspections for new parents.
"If you buy a car seat and you don't know where it's been, don't use it," Sutherland said. "If you get a car seat and it looks like you have to be a rocket scientist to install it, slow down and look at it. Call if you need help."
Car seat guidelines
Newborn to age 3: Rear-facing car seats
2-5: Forward-facing car seat
4-12: High back or backless booster seats
Older than 8 (or 4 feet-9 inches tall): Lap and shoulder seat belts
Source: Car Seats Colorado
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