Article: From Tragedy, a Message on Saving Lives; Va. Teenager Makes Seat Belt Commercial After Friend Is Seriously Hurt in Car Crash

Erik Oleson watched intently yesterday as 5-year-old Stephen Quinn climbed from the back of a station wagon into the front seat, distracting the driver, just seconds before the car collided with a semitrailer.

It was all acting for a 30-second television commercial promoting seat belt use, and Oleson's immediate focus was on capturing the child on videotape. But Oleson, 18, also was remembering the pain of learning in May that a longtime friend was near death after a car crash. The friend had not worn a seat belt.

The tragedy of classmate Nathan T. Rasmussen spurred Oleson to raise money and support for the public service commercial that he and dozens of volunteers taped yesterday at ...

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