Pictou County teen face of RCMP seatbelt safety campaign after crash

CITYnews halifax / By Natasha O’Neill

It was just before midnight on Aug. 17, 2023, when Corinne Cameron made a decision that would change her life forever.

The 15-year-old at the time was out with five other friends when they all decided to pile into a Kia Rio around 11:45 p.m. that night. Cameron was not wearing a seatbelt when the driver lost control on a sharp curve on Giarloch Road in Union Centre and hit a tree.

She was thrown from the vehicle and lay on a nearby driveway, thinking she was going to die.

“Seatbelts save lives. I didn’t wear mine, and it nearly cost me everything,” she said. “I want other teens to know that buckling up isn’t just a rule, it’s a choice that could save your life.”

While recovering from her serious injuries in the hospital, Cameron was told she had suffered a stroke. It left her with paralysis on her right side, she lost the ability to see in her peripheral vision, and she was not able to speak or understand language.

Paramedics attending to Corinne Cameron after the crash on Aug. 17, 2023. (IWK YouTube)

“Part of her brain died,” her mom, Julie, said in a press release. “She had to retrain herself to do everything.”

After years of relearning how to live with invisible disabilities, the now 17-year-old is speaking out in a new campaign with RCMP.  

“Her experience underscores the tragic consequences of risky decisions and the life-saving importance of seatbelt use,” police said.

RCMP will be conducting targeted seatbelt enforcement throughout the week. Cameron and the responding officer to her crash, Sgt. John White, are reaching out to schools and conducting talks.

“Corinne’s courage in sharing her story is helping us reach youth in a way that enforcement alone cannot,” White said. “Her voice is authentic, and her message is urgent.”