Blog
Driving distractions can be deadly buckle up, phone down
A few months ago Toure Thaniel and a friend were driving along Chippenham Parkway. Not sure where they’d been, or where they were going. I know from police accounts that Toure was texting. She had to have known better. Here was a young woman who had everything going for her. She was in college, she had a good job. And she had her sights still set on a modeling career. Toure was just 27 and in the prime of her life. That’s what makes the rest of the story so sad. As Toure and her friend cruised along Chippenham, she lost control of the car and drove through the median. Her car struck another head on. Witnesses say her car flipped 13 to 16 times. Toure and her friend died at the scene. One person in the other car survived but with serious injuries. This was a crash that should have been avoided. Texting can take your eyes off the road for 5 seconds or more, but it only takes a second to be distracted enough to lost control of your car, overcorrect or jerk the wheel and cause an accident. What happens in that split second can change your life and the lives of other forever. “Driving distractions can be deadly buckle up, phone down” is our 2012 Distracted Driving Awareness Month theme. It reflects the danger associated with driving with your phone in one hand and the safety a seat belt offers. Buckle up, phone down – remind your friends and family to be safe during April and all year.