By Brandon Masuoka and Curtis Lum
Advertiser Staff Writers
A 19-year-old woman and a 1-year-old boy, who were involved in a single car crash Sunday night near Honolulu Airport, remained in critical condition today, a Queen’s Medical Center spokewoman said.
Five people were inside the silver 2001 Buick Century sedan when it jumped the curb and rammed into a tree at about 11 p.m. on Koapaka Street near the intersection of Ohohia Street, police said.
The driver of the car, Ruta Levu, 31, her 2-month-old son, Pulou Levu and her 2 1/2-year-old son, whose name has not been released by the medical examiner, were killed in the crash.
Ruta Levu was wearing a seatbelt, police said. The 19-year-old woman was not wearing a seatbelt and it appeared the children also were not restrained, police said. Pulou Levu was in an infant carrier, but it was not belted into a seat, police said. It appeared the car was speeding, police said.
It appeared the car was speeding, police said, although an investigation into the cause of the crash was continuing.
The fatalities were the eighth, ninth and 10th of this year, compared with 10 at the same time last year.
The odds of a child being killed in a traffic accident increase greatly if that child is not properly restrained in a car seat, police said.
Yesterday, Honolulu police traffic division Maj. Jeffrey Owens encouraged residents to use seat belts and child seats. The law requires seat belts for everyone under 18 and for those in the front seats of cars. Children under the age of 4 also are required to be in a secured car seat.
Nine children under the age of 4 have been killed in traffic accidents from 1991 to 1999 on Hawai‘i roadways. Only one of the victims was in a car seat that was properly installed, said state epidemiologist Dan Galanis.
University of Hawai‘i head football coach June Jones was critically injured when his car rammed into a concrete pillar Feb. 22.
Police said Jones was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the accident, police said.
Jones is recovering from his injuries and is in stable condition.
“We do know that this is a trend that we’re seeing, and we’re trying to educate the public to wear the seat belts and use child safety seats that are properly installed because we do know that that does reduce the number of fatalities that occur,” Owens said.
The Department of Health’s Injury Prevention and Control Program offers community keiki car seat “checkups” for parents who aren’t sure if their seats are installed correctly. The next checkup will be Saturday from 9 a.m.-noon at Windward Mall.
Parents also can call a car seat hotline at 538-3334, or toll-free from the Neighbor Islands at 1-800-868-7300.
The Associated Press contributed to this report. |
