The freshman and sophomore classes at Greenwich High School gathered in the auditorium on Thursday morning to hear one Greenwich Police Officer’s story of loss.
“My little sister, a 17 year old high school student, was involved in a motor vehicle accident and unfortunately, she lost her life as a result of not wearing her seatbelt,” said GPD Officer Shane Geary.
The officers who investigated Cassidy’s death said she would have walked away from this car accident if she had been wearing a seatbelt. Her brother Officer Shane Geary and the rest of the family began Click It For Cassie shortly after her death in 2008.
“It’s kind of a reminder to all drivers, but particularly younger drivers like yourselves, of how important it is to wear a seatbelt. There’s a ton of reasons people don’t wear their seatbelt, and they are all stupid to be quite frank with you,” said Geary.
Geary says across the country in 2013 alone, there were 9,580 deadly accidents because people neglected to buckle up.
“Just in that one year alone, close to 10,000 families had to go through the exact same thing we did. It’s heart wrenching. It’s a terrible feeling. My sister passed away in 2008 and there’s not a day that goes by that I don’t miss her, that I don’t wish she was here,” said Geary.
In Connecticut, it is a law that front seat passengers must wear a seatbelt. Officer Geary says if he sees you unbuckled, he will pull you over and give you a ticket.
“And it’s not because I want to give you a ticket. It’s not about the citation. It’s because I want to save your life. I want to spread the importance. If that takes you getting a $92 ticket to say ‘I’m going to put my seatbelt on because I don’t want to happen’ then so be it. I’m happy with that,” said Geary.
“I think it’s really important to get in the habit of seatbelt, then start the car. That’s what I do, I think you should do it too,” said GHS Headmaster Chris Winters.
“It take sone second. Reach over, put the seatbelt on. it’s your security system- it’s securing you in that vehicle,” said Geary.
You can learn more about the campaign or request one of these bumpers stickers at www.clickitforcassie.com.
