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BEDFORD, N.YThe importance of wearing seatbelts has been well documented. Not as often, though, can one find out how important they were from a front row seat.
Such was the case on Saturday in Bedford Hills, as the Bedford Police Department handed out its inaugural Saved By the Belt award to seven people who were involved in a car crash this year, and were saved from serious injury because of the use of seatbelts.
Robert Cavenagh III, Liam Cavenagh, Alfred Perrine, Liam Perrine, Alec Beninati, Christian Beninati, and James Plumb were travelling on Old Post Road in Bedford on July 30, near crusher road, when an oncoming vehicle in the opposite lane crossed the yellow lines. Robert Cavenagh, the driver of the vehicle, swerved just enough to evade a straight-on collision, but was hit nonetheless. Seatbelts, along with that maneuver, saved the seven passengers.
The Bedford Chief of Police William Hayes presented the awards, explaining how the police are trying to spread the knowledge of seatbelt wearing by more than just enforcing the law.
We cannot however achieve our goal in protecting the traveling public without partnering with the community, Hayes said. Not only is it important to stop unsafe behavior behind the wheel, its equally important that we recognize motorists that take an active role in protecting themselves and their passengers.
Officer Linda Gabrielson and Sergeant Melvin Padilla, the traffic safety coordinator of Bedford Police, were instrumental in putting together the certificate ceremony. It was well received by Cavenagh, who saw the ceremony as a finalizing moment, along with the fact that the weekend brought upon the closing of financial statements
It was a very surreal night, and when Officer Gabrielson called and said that they were putting this together, I thought it was a nice closure to the whole thing, he said.
The recipients of the award were chosen by an investigating officer on the force to not be at fault for an accident, along with having not being cited for any traffic violations.
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