Purple Road

Evelyn Wolfe

Purple Road

“Purple is the color that shows the most love,” a phrase known by every teenager in Clark County, Ohio. Conner and David were the ones that taught us those words along with many other things. On August 20, 2017 they were both pronounced dead due to a fatal car crash. Conner and David were not wearing their seatbelts. They were in the backseat which many people think you are the safest, but Conner and David weren’t. This brought devastation and shock to Clark County. Both boys were from different areas in Clark County but went to a school that brought all of County students together. This made it more personal because everyone knew them. All it took one second of distraction.

After Conner and David’s death the county came together to support their family and friends. Since it was the beginning of the school year, I remember the families of the boys going from high school to high school to show a presentation. In that presentation, it contained the importance of driving and how one second can change everything. After that presentation it really hit me that soon I will be behind the wheel, driving around with my friends. At that same time, I knew I didn’t want my friend’s parents making that same presentation.

One little thing can save someone from a fatal car crash, and that is a seatbelt. According to the Motor Vehicle Safety division of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, this reduces the risk of death and injury by nearly 50%. In Conner and David’s position they would have had a higher chance to survive if they were wearing their seatbelts. In driving school that was one of the most important things they showed us. Considering David was only 15 and had not gone to driving school yet, he didn’t know they dangers of not wearing a seatbelt.

Young drivers who have not completed drivers ed 24 percent more likely to be involved in a fatal or injury accident and 16 percent more likely to have an accident, the study showed. Driving school is a very important part of drivings. It teaches you the important steps to become a good driver. The first step would to be aware of your surrounds, because even if you are being a cautious driver doesn’t mean the person behind you or in front of you are. The second step would be to follow the 3-4 second rule. This is where you stay at least 3-4 seconds behind a person just in case something happens, you have time to react. By going to driving school you learn so much about being a cautious driver.

To be a better driver you should always make sure you wear your seatbelt, pay attention to your surroundings, and not be distracted. Distraction can cause you to lose control for one second and that one second can cause you your life. It costed Conner and David’s life. To ensure that you stay safe on the road, go to driving school, it can save not only your life but the person on the other side of the road. It will teach you the steps of being a good driver.

http://newsroom.unl.edu/releases/2015/08/13/Study:+Driver%27s+ed+significantly+reduces+teen+crashes,+tickets

https://www.nsc.org/safety-first-blog/how-do-we-prevent-motor-vehicle-deaths-
https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/driving-safety.html