Alcohol may have been a factor in a crash that killed two young men in Clarksville on Friday. The tragic car crash happened in the 1500 block of Madison Street in Clarksville. It was the city's first fatalities of the year.

The two killed were a 20-year-old driver of a pick-up truck and his 19-year-old passenger, both of whom were from Springfield. According to Clarksville Online, they were struck head-on by a Dodge Durango, which had apparently crossed the center line into oncoming traffic.

The driver of the Durango and his passenger were both injured. The driver was listed in stable condition, while his passenger was already released. They were wearing seatbelts at the time of the crash. The two young men who were killed, however, were not.

Clarksville Online also reports that beer cans were found in the Durango and there was an odor of alcohol at the scene, although that was not confirmed by investigators. Charges were also pending.

The crash caused the road to be closed for hours while emergency crews responded. Several emergency units responded to the crash scene. A photo posted to Clarksville Online's website shows the Durango and the red pick-up truck facing each other, head-to-head, with both vehicles appearing severely damaged.

The accident tragically demonstrates the importance of maintaining a lane, and also of buckling up. It's impossible to say whether the two young men would have sustained less severe injuries had they been wearing seatbelts, but in general restraint devices greatly reduce the risk of severe injury.

Source: Clarksville Online, "Clarksville Police Department releases names in fatal accident," Hank Bonecutter, Feb. 4, 2012