Monday night, a senior in the high school that my baby brother attends, was killed in a car accident. Around 8 p.m, the driver of the car ran off of the road and hit a tree. The boy that was killed, was a passenger, not wearing a seat belt, and was therefore ejected from the car upon impact. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
He was 19 years old.
His life had not even started before it was ended.
How incredibly sad I am for his family, and his friends.
Accidents like this do not have to happen, but they do. Every. Single. Day.
He wasn't the first person to die in a car accident from this high school, and I know he won't be the last. I wonder how many of their friends have to die, before they realize that driving reckless can kill you and how important wearing that seat belt is?
My life was nearly taken from me four years ago in a car accident that was caused by a man who was not paying attention, and speeding. If things had been different that morning...if I had forgotten to put on my seat belt, or if I was sitting differently in my seat...things may have turned out not so good. My life could have ended when I was 18 years old. I thank God every day that it didn't.
I have a plea, to everyone who holds a drivers license and drives a vehicle; a plea to stop these senseless deaths.
Please, pay attention to what you are doing when you are driving. Pay attention to the road, your speed, the lane you are in. Don't answer the cell phone when it rings. Don't read that text message that comes in. Just drive. Be responsible. Automobiles are wonderful things, and I am thankful to not have to depend on a horse & carriage to get me from Point A to Point B, but automobiles can be dangerous if the people driving them are irresponsible.
So, in honor of this 19 year old male who's life was cut short too soon by reckless and irresponsible driving...let's all drive a little more responsibly. Stop being in such a hurry. Stop showing off your mad driving skills when you have a friend in the car. Stop being stupid...and just drive.
23 comments:
Amen every time my son wants to run somewhere with his friends I cringe. I know how kids can be when they get together. There are a few that I know will behave behind the wheel but some I refuse to allow him to ride with.
Its sad when you think about such deaths, caused by things which are really avoidable, with a bit of care on our part.
A very touching post!
A car is a deadly weapon. Seriously. If not in the hands of someone being responsible it is a killer.
I completely agree with everything you said.
How terribly sad!
I was in a car accident when I was 4 months pregnant with little A, and it has made me so much more aware of what other drivers around me are doing.
Everytime I look at her, I thank God for protecting us that day, too.
I wish more people would realize how powerful a car is and understand that precautions need to be taken.
Good post, and I fear for my life and the lives of others every time I get behind the wheel. fo real
My heart is heavy for the families that have to deal with the aftermath of all of this that could have easily turned out so differently if they had just buckled up. I also would add that if people would make their cars a no phone zone...Hang up & Drive! I love Oprah's new campaign. You might as well be driving with a gun in your hand if you are going to text and while driving?!
Unfortunately, a lot of times kids that age think they are immortal, will never die, and don't believe anything like that can happen to them...
How sad for his friends and family.
Very true that we all need to pay a little bit more attention when we are driving. It seems these days many people try to do 1000 things at once and put driving on "auto pilot" and don't think we need to use all our senses when we truly should be.
Thankful that your life was spared...you have an important message...maybe you can spread it further
I'll pray for his family.
A dear friend of mine fell asleep on his way home from church one night. His truck ran off the road, and flipped end over end eight times, with his body caught in the wreckage. It was a small town of about 1200 people, and there was about a hundred people outside that couldn't get in the church during his funeral. When our High School coach was asked why something like this had happened, he said, "God only knows, but he uses things like this to touch other lives. See where you all are standing, now? You're in church."
This brought a tear to my eye. How horrible for that boy and his whole family. People are so reckless and it's just so unnecessary.
It's such a tragic story, but I'm glad you are here today to be able to write about this topic.
I got the chills reading this. So many senseless deaths from carelessness.
Thanks for linking up.
Thank you for posting this. It's such a good and true reminder. So many people are killed over senseless driving. I'm so sorry about the boy at your brothers high school. That is devastating.
Very touching post. How sad :( I have no idea how parents bury their children, I honestly don't.
Tales Of A Fourth Grade Nothing
You are too right Samantha. People don't think about the consequences until it's too late.
I am SO grateful that you are here with us today...but that douche should have been paying attention and the whole thing could have been avoided.
Thank you for the sad but informative post.
xoxo
Every day that I make it home I'm amazed... When I was in high school there were five or six of my classmates in a car and they all died in an accident. Some of them weren't wearing seatbelts either. I don't even know if it would have helped, but it probably would have.
I feel so bad for that kid's family... it's sad to lose someone so young.
wow, how sad. we had someone in high school die in a car accident. he left his girlfriends house angry, drove down the street and turned the corner but didn't look. a bus came and hit him. i still have the image from the newspaper of the smashed up car.
so sad.
stop talking, texting, eating, putting on makeup and just drive.
Well said...You are absolutely right...so many senseless deaths and so many of them could be prevented by that 2 second decision to wear a seatbelt ...
OH my...gift bags. I have a HUGE bag full of them from my baby shower. Either I need to trash them, or my friends better start popping out kids. In my defense, I tried to get rid of them on freecycle and no one wanted them!
Ooopss....wrong post. Sorry!
Wow, it is always so sobering and heartbreaking to read of such stories. I hope your little brother is handling it OK.
Any time I see someone I know drive away in a car I get chills. Car accidents are so awful. I dread the day my kids start driving. That will be the day I buy the big bubble to put them in!
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