Horrible highway accident claims the life of mother and child
A mother and her baby perished this afternoon just after four o’clock in a horrible traffic accident at mile twenty-seven on the Phillip Goldson Highway. Our crew is just back and reports that Raul Magaña, Jr., his wife and baby and two other passengers were heading in the direction of Belize City when his vehicle suffered a tire blowout. Magaña was behind the steering wheel; the sports utility vehicle flipped at least three times near Biscayne. His common-law-wife, Lissa Li and child were flung through the windshield of the vehicle when it flipped. Both died instantly, a first responder who ran to their aid witnessed the horrific and tragic ordeal.
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Voice of: Valerie Wade, First Respondent
“When I heard that the vehicle tire burst, the vehicle lost control and it spin around like three times. After that, ih lost control in the gravel and ih flip. When it flipped, the baby and the lady drop out while it is flipping. The vehicle start to flip and flip and flip.”
Duane Moody
“The driver was still inside while this was happening?”
Voice of: Valerie Wade
“And somebody run out of the vehicle and holla help, help, help. And I run come to try and help them.”
Duane Moody
“Tell us about what you saw when you came out here to help?”
Voice of: Valerie Wade
“When I come out here, the lady done drop dead already; she mi done dead. But the baby mi still alive….ih neck mi broke and then ih mi di bleed through ih ears. But if something mi even here and mi ker ahn, ih still noh mi wah live.”
Duane Moody
“The man that was driving, was he talking?”
Voice of: Valerie Wade
“Yes, he was talking and he was screaming.”
Duane Moody
“Is this the first time that you’ve witnessed something like this happening, ma’am?”
Voice of: Valerie Wade
“No, not the first time. I’ve witnessed one already by mile and a half.”
Duane Moody
“Would you say that they were speeding?”
Voice of: Valerie Wade
“Well I can’t tell; I can’t tell.”
Duane Moody
“Now, the man, did he have any injuries on him?”
Voice of: Valerie Wade
“No I neva see any injuries, but I know that dah five of them were in the vehicle and then another vehicle take one of them down.”
Duane Moody
“So two were flung out of the vehicle and then three others were inside the vehicle?”
Voice of: Valerie Wade
“Yes and they come out.”
My condolences to the Magana family.
We Belizeans need more road safety awareness. Our roads are not fantastic, so we need to have our cars checked regularly by a reputable mechanic. We can check our tyres and replace them etc. ourselves before we make long journeys. One of the biggest problems we have is that too many of us don’t bother with the seat belts.
There is a reason why the car manufacturers after extensive research put seat belts and air bags in our cars. I have had many arguments with family members who make excuses after excuses why they can’t wear their seat belts. The next problem is strapping babies securely in the BACK seat of your car in a designated baby seat.
Some 30 years ago my family was touched by such an accident. My father broke his neck and my brother age 2.5 years was flung clear from the vehicle and luckily after substantial amount of rehabilitation they have both fully recovered. Despite this event in my own family I still have relatives who haven’t woken up. They still don’t wear their seat belts, strap their children in the car, regularly drink and drive and still have conference calls on their cell phone while driving at great speed. A ticking time bomb. Too many of us have lost family members needlessly.
The government need to introduce and enforce strict laws surrounding these points:
1) Annual mechanical vehicle checks
2) Road traffic patrols checking and issuing fines for the following:
-Driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs
-Not wearing seat belts
-for not properly securing children in designated child’s seat in the vehicle
-For using cell phones whilst driving
-For eating whilst driving (anything that would cause you to be distracted and not using both hands whilst driving)
Otherwise we will continually (every other week) see these horrific accidents play out in front of us, although they can be preventable.
so sad RIP. Please wear your seatbelts!!
i WAS IN ONE LAST TWO WEEKS SO. 7TH APRIL. IT WAS HORRIBLE MY BACK TIRE TOO:( I LOST CONTROL AND FLIPpED 2 TIMES . THANKS GOD WE HAS SEAT BELT AND GOD WAS IN CONTROL. A MESSED UP RODEO AND STILL IN SOME PAIN BUT LIFE IS BETTER. GUYS PLEASE ALWAYS USE UR SEAT BELT. AND PRAY EVERYDAY FOR OUR HEAVENLY FATHERS PROTECTION. AMEN
One concern is the bad state of the road some parts have pot holes very big with sharp edges and that can pop your tire regardless if you have good tires. But never forget to wear seat belt it’s worth wile strapping yourself when accidents happens like this one. My condolence to the family, two young lives gone.
Always speeding and acting big- hope he simma down now and live with fact that this was all within his control
It’s not only the bad shape of the roads, but also the cars running on our streets: new cars and good used one are too expensive, duties on cars are 40% and tht’s crazy. Most of the cars on our streets are from prehistoric time, not safe at all.
A new small car in other country, with airbags and everything are about 20000 BZ$, here for that amount you can get something year 2000…….GOB reduce the duties and make safer cars affordable to people!
Excellent points RadicalBelizean: The government need to introduce and enforce strict laws surrounding these points: 1) Annual mechanical vehicle checks 2) Road traffic patrols checking
Very Good suggestion cuc : GOB reduce the duties and make safer cars affordable to people!
Also, Ministry of Transport’s obligation is to put in place road signs & replace torn down road signs and speed limits and properly mark the highways; repair potholes in the highways; repair broken culverts that break the paving on highways