Car accident by stuffed animal
We smile and paw at the cutesy things we hang off of our rearview mirror, dismissing the fact that it’s ILLEGAL to have anything there at all. Did you even know that it’s against the law for your rearview mirror to have a necklace?
Photo courtesy of NJ.com article
There’s a good reason why: In 2006, Thomas Hill was distracted by a Garfield stuffed animal that hung from him rearview mirror and he hit a pedestrian. I bring up this case, because it was just settled by the court.
The victim, the late Ellen Henkle, was left disabled after the incident and her estate was awarded $378,000 due to the driver’s negligence. Her husband, who had to caregive for her due to her sustained injuries, was given an additional $95,000.
Apparently all this started because a plushie, that probably cost less than $20, obstructed Hill’s view. So, be honest with yourself about how vigilant a driver you are, and think twice before you wrap that scratch ‘n sniff air freshener around your rearview mirror. (And is it just me, or is that Garfield way too large to even be considered as a r-view mirror necklace in the first place??)
