A Tragedy to Learn From

On June 1^st, 2008 two of my family friends Cathy Thibault
and Jason Thibault passed away from a head on collision. Jason had
just graduated four days prior to the accident, and as he was heading
to his friend’s graduation party with his mom, they came across a
distracted driver. The distracted driver that caused the head on
collision they were in was a 16-year-old girl that had been answering
a text at the time they collided. It was not too long after this that
we learned that this wasn’t the first time that she made the
decision to look away from the road. I was only 7 at the time that
this happened, but the funeral still lives in my memory to this day.
My first funeral was one with two opened caskets, surrounded by
devastated family and friends who couldn’t stop asking why. Though
the answer is simple, and it always is. Even now, over 10 years
later, it’s still upsetting to me that a family was so easily torn
apart from the bad decisions that were made that day. The decision
that the 16-year-old girl made that day not only risked her own life,
but everyone around her. She had learned the hard way about just how
unsafe it is to look away from the road for even a few seconds and
that’s why I to this day tell my friends that their phone can wait.
Today, driving education prepares you to not only drive, but also
tells you of the risks that come with texting and driving, and that’s
why drivers’ education is so important. Some might not listen, but
the results are clear, as those who take a drivers ed class
are about 2% less likely to get into a car accident (Drive Safely).
In the end this is still a small number though, and I believe that
Drivers ed could help even more through sharing more stories
like mine to others. Safe driving is about being aware of the road,
it’s about knowing when you shouldn’t drive, and above all it’s
about being aware that your life isn’t the only one at risk. This
is what I tell myself every time I face a situation when driving
could be unsafe. The 16-year-old girl that caused the crash walked
away safely, and as thankful as everyone was that another life wasn’t
taken, two lives were traded with the actions she made that day.

Drive Safely. Does Taking A Drivers Ed Course Reduce Car
Crashes? Retrieved From

https://www.idrivesafely.com/defensive-driving/trending/does-taking-drivers-ed-course- reduce-car-crashes.