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Accident Hwy 154 near Lake Cachuma
34.568417 -119.949492

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Highway 154: Seat Belt Safety

Written by Scott Hurst

Story Created: Feb 15, 2012 at 7:37 PM PDT

Story Updated: Feb 16, 2012 at 1:04 PM PDT

Lompoc - A local family is now speaking out, hoping their story of survival will help others make better choices.

It comes after the family of six narrowly escaped a car crash on a dangerous stretch of roadway. The accident happened Saturday afternoon, just before 5 pm, near the entrance to the Cachuma Lake Campground on Highway 154.

According to the family, a bee had gotten into the car and when the driver tried to swat at it, he lost control. The car flipped and one of the kids was partially ejected.

In total there were four kids in the backseat. They were all between the ages of ten and five. None of them were in booster seats, in fact, the two boys and two girls were each sharing one seat belt.

Luckily, nobody suffered any major injuries. However, it was a very close call that could have been a lot worse. According to Adriane Barnard, the mother of all four children, its a lesson learned the hard way.

"We're all learning from that and next time we will get a car seat from wherever. If we don't have the money, we'll find it, the CHP they can all help out with those things," said Barnard, "I don't want to be one of those people who say, I lost my kids because of my stupidity you know, that could have happened, but luckily it didn't."

The CHP just recently got a grant to increase patrols on Highway 154. Also, there is a new law in effect requiring booster seats for all children until they are eight years old or 4'9". It replaces the "six year, sixty pound" rule.

KEY News Reporter Scott Hurst has the story.
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