• 15
  • November
    2011

Motor vehicle accidents can be a pretty gruesome sight, and yet our natural human curiosity makes many people want to slow down and look while driving past a crash site. Sometimes, first responders will even snap photos of car or truck accidents for training purposes or to share privately with their colleagues.

But some go too far and may violate the privacy rights of victims and their families. A grieving New Jersey mother says that pictures of her daughter's fatal car accident were posted online before the family was even informed about the crash.

In 2009, the woman's 40-year-old daughter was killed during a head-collision in Barnegat. Among the first responders to the scene was a member of a local volunteer fire department. The volunteer first responder took pictures of the victim inside of her car and quickly posted them to Facebook.

To save others from the emotional distress she has suffered, the victim's mother has circulated petitions to pass a law prohibiting this behavior. If "Cathy's Law" were to be passed, New Jersey first responders could face fines and jail time if they take graphic images at an accident scene and share them without the consent of the victim or the victim's family.

The legislation was recently introduced in Trenton, and committee hearings are pending.

When a fatal or serious car accident occurs, human decency prompts us to practice sensitivity and discretion. Victims and families deserve privacy and support, and most people understand that. Hopefully, the introduction and passage of "Cathy's Law" will serve as an important reminder to rest.

Source: 6 ABC Action News, "Mom outraged over car crash photos of daughter," Nora Muchanic, Nov. 9, 2011