With motor vehicle collisions on the rise in 2019, the Burton Fire District continues to stress the importance of seatbelt use, proper restraint of children and caution at intersections.

In the years 2018 and 2019, from the January 1st to July 1st time period, the Burton Fire District has seen a 31 percent increase in motor vehicle collisions from 115 in 2018 to 151 in 2019, and a 47 percent increase in those with injuries from 62 in 2018 to 91 in 2019.<span class="Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span>

During this time period in 2018, there were four collisions in which trapped occupants needed to be rescued, and in 2019 there have been five.

Burton fire officials note that not only has the number of vehicle collisions with injuries increased, so has the number of patients requiring immediate medical attention, as well as the extent of those injuries.

“It seems when we arrive on scene now, that the number of seriously injured patients who require immediate attention has increased,” Burton Fire Lieutenant/Paramedic Alex Murray said in a release. “This has required more resources with higher medical training to respond to the scene to operate rescue equipment, assist with the injured occupants, and eliminate potential hazards like gas leaks and charged electrical systems.”

Murray stresses firefighters do not conduct traffic investigation so the causes of these collisions are not known. However, what is known is that many of these collisions resulting in trapped occupants, serious injuries, and fatalities, have occurred at intersections. Additionally, lack of seatbelt use is also a common denominator, he added.<span class="Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span>