Even one decision to text while driving can be fatal

Most tragic motor vehicle accidents can be prevented. When drivers are experienced and behaving responsibly, they can almost always prevent accidents caused by their own negligence. Of course, severe weather, poorly constructed roads and the negligence of other drivers cannot be controlled by any individual motorist. However, each driver can largely ensure that he or she does not recklessly or negligently cause an accident directly.

This is why it is so critical to instill in young drivers a sense of respect for themselves, their fellow motorists and the road in general. Drivers who never accept this level of personal responsibility and respect can suffer tragic and even fatal consequences.

Though law enforcement has not definitively determined the cause of one recent fatal car crash, there is reason to believe that a 16-old-girl named Savannah lost her life in a texting accident. The trip that took her life was her first solo driving experience.

Savannah was sent to the grocery store to pick up ingredients for her family’s dinner that evening. She was killed when her vehicle slammed into a large commercial truck at a significant speed. She allegedly turned left right before impact, directly into the path of the large vehicle. An unsent text message on her phone screen at the time of impact indicates that Savannah may have caused the accident by driving while distracted.

Accidents caused by texting are preventable. As the number of young people dying due to distracted driving behavior rises, it becomes more and more critical that parents, educators and young drivers themselves stress the importance of personal responsibility and respect when novice drivers take to the road.

Source: Huffington Post, “Savannah Nash, 16, Dies During Her First Solo Drive; Believed To Be Texting,” David Moye, May 17, 2013