A 17-year-old New City girl was killed last Wednesday in a car accident near Greenwood Lake.

According to reports, the car accident took place while the New City teen and several friends were on their way home from a ski trip to New Jersey. The vehicle in which the teen was a passenger, a Toyota Forerunner, was apparently going down a hill on a narrow turn when it lost control and crashed into an oncoming Ford van. Upon impact the Toyota ran off the road and down a steep embankment, throwing the New City teen from the van and killing her. Another passenger of the Toyota Forerunner was flown to a local hospital, but the other members of the vehicle were not seriously injured.

Police issues no tickets, and the crash was written up as an accident. But the incident has been making an impact in the community, as the individuals involved in the accident represented several area schools. According to sources, the New City Teen was a good student, well-liked, artistic, and had a positive attitude. Area schools are offering grief counseling to students needing to process the event.

The recent death is also reminding students of the importance of wearing a seatbelt. Under New Jersey Law all passengers at least 8 years and less than 18 years of age and each driver and front seat passenger of a vehicle operated on a street or highway must wear a seatbelt. Unbuckled drivers and passengers over 18 years may be cited for not wearing a seat belt if stopped for another violation.

According to the New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety, in the last ten years over 2000 unbuckled drivers and front seat passengers have died and approximately 700 unbuckled drivers and front seat passengers were thrown from their vehicles.

Source: nyack.patch.com, “New City Mourns Death of Teen Killed in Car Accident ,” William Demarest, 31 Dec 2010.