A North Carolina man headed to breakfast with his groomsmen on his wedding day was killed when he was ejected from the vehicle he was riding in after it was t-boned. The 28-year-old man was riding in the backseat of his best man’s car when a 17-year-old driver ran a red light and hit them. The groom was ejected and then run over by a third vehicle. He was taken to the hospital where he later died.

North Carolina media reports that guests arriving at the wedding had no idea the groom had been killed in an auto accident until the minister told them. The wedding became a memorial service where the bride-to-be spoke to the audience.

The 17-year-old driver was charged with a red light violation and misdemeanor death by motor vehicle. Authorities have not determined if the groom was wearing his seatbelt before he was ejected.

While the news story does not elaborate on whether the teen driver was alone in the vehicle when he ran the light, this is yet another example of a reason for the push for graduated drivers licensing. The more teens are involved in accidents like this, the more the public will want safety measures in place to keep teens from being dangers on the road. However, if the groom was not wearing his seatbelt and may have avoided ejection by wearing it, then this is another sad story of why you should always wear a seatbelt, even if you are in the backseat.

If you or a loved one has been injured in an automobile accident, please contact an experienced auto accident attorney in your area.