COFIELD – One person lost their life and another was injured during a one-vehicle accident near here Tuesday afternoon.

Tiffany Peterson, 20, of Cofield succumbed to the injuries she sustained due to the accident, one that occurred at approximately 3:20 p.m. on RP 1427 (Thomas Bridge Road).

Peterson’s one-year-old son received minor injuries and was treated at Roanoke-Chowan Hospital.

According to a report filed by North Carolina Highway Patrol Trooper Josh Noble, Peterson was operating a 1999 Jeep east on RP 1427 at the time of the accident. The vehicle is owned by Edward Kee of Ahoskie.

Visible evidence, including skid marks, at the crash scene indicated the vehicle ran off the right side of the roadway, struck a ditch and then overturned twice before coming to rest on the driver’s side.

The investigation revealed that Peterson, who was ejected from the vehicle, was allegedly not wearing a seat belt. No contributing factors were listed as being the cause of the accident.

However, as NCHP First Sgt. Eric Jackson of the Troop A office in Ahoskie pointed out, seat belts have proven to save lives in motor vehicle accidents.

“We are noticing a pattern in the fatalities recorded in our district thus far this year,” Jackson said. “Not counting a recent fatality involving a motorcycle where no driver restraint is required, six of our seven fatalities were not wearing seat belts.”

Of the eight total fatalities to date in the local three-county area, three have occurred in Hertford County.