Take the Wheel Teen Driving

Submit Your Story

All of us know somebody who’s been in a car accident – some worse than others. Watch the videos to see how these  teens dealt with their experiences and what they now think about safe driving habits. Then contribute your own story. You may upload a video to YouTube and provide us with the http link. Or, you may write about your thoughts or experience(s). Please include your name and age.

Once reviewed, your story may end up on the site.

And, here is another opportunity to reach out, help others…………..

Put a Face on the Issue of Teen Driving

The most powerful and persuasive way to educate lawmakers about the STANDUP Act is through personal stories, particularly stories from teens and parents who have lost loved ones in a teen driving crash. If you are interested in sharing your story, contact Jenny check at SafeRoads4Teens Coalition. Call 202-408-1711.

 

Here is one young woman’s personal story….submitted  by Jessica Hyslope to this website on July 3, 2011. 

I was driving north into a town called Norwalk in Iowa in my two door Hyundai Accent. It was in the middle of winter and I was going to pick up my friend. I had just gotten into town when a driver heading south bound began swerving in my lane. I tried to get away from it but she t-boned me on the driver’s side throwing my car into the ditch in the snow. I can recall second by second with glass and smoke everywhere. I sat there in the driver’s seat, my heart was racing, my seat belt had locked me into my spot and I didn’t move. I couldn’t move I was so shocked. I looked all over my body and I was fine. I turned the radio off and turned the key to off. When I looked out to my left, my driver’s side window was smashed and my door was open. The cold was rushing into my once warm car and I began shaking in my heavy coat. I looked behind me and saw that my back window was smashed in as well. With shaking hands, I grabbed my phone out of my front pocket and thought “should I call my mom or 911?”. I felt a panic attack come across me and dialed 911 first. I got on the phone and told them I was hit. I couldn’t find the other car. It happened that she went into a trench on the other side of the street. Police arrived and I let go to 911. I called my step-mom and got my mom on the phone. They both rushed to see me before I was taken to a hospital to be checked up on. I was terrified. I suffered minor whiplash and soft tissue bruising to my left side. I currently have a slightly twisted lower spine because of my accident. The girl that hit me didn’t have a license and it wasn’t her car. The people who own the car are still trying to take her to court while I’m left here in the dark. Not knowing what’s going on or where my compensation is at. I always have a fear of that spot where she hit me and I drive so much more careful now. My boyfriend tells me I need to get over it but even after 5 months, it’s hard to block it out of my mind.

Here is one young man’s personal story….submitted  by Ashley Trimnal to this website on March 8, 2011. 

One evening in the summer of 2010 I decided to hang out and go fishing with two of my friends. They picked me up in an old Chevy pick-up truck. We weren’t on the road more than 10 minutes when ‘it’ happened. 

When I came to, my face and leg were stuck in the dashboard. One friend went through the windshield, and my other friend, the driver, was knocked-out.

“What happened?”

One of my friends jumped out of the truck. I was in such shock that I didn’t know what to do. When I tried getting out of the truck I fell to the ground, on the highway in front of oncoming traffic. As I was lying there I looked over and saw one of my friends gasping for air.

My other friend was standing near the truck when a young woman came up to him and started beating on his chest saying “that was my mother”. Little did we know at that point that the woman in the car we hit was assumed dead. How could this have happened? This innocent woman was on her way to her daughter’s wedding dinner rehearsal when the accident happened. In fact, she was alive but in critical condition. She was taken by Life Flight and is alive today.

I thought I was fine but I was wrong. I had a severe concussion and minor brain damage. I needed stitches in my mouth. to close the holes inside my mouth from biting down. I had two black and bloody eyes, scrapes all over my face and bloody knees. I am still getting treatment and getting myself back on track.

My friend that went through the windshield suffered a broken shoulder, rotator cuff injury and collapsed lung. He is doing well now. The driver walked away with bumps and bruises.

This was the worst day of my life, and I think about it every day.

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