Twisted Guardrails on the Highway

Thursday

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

OHIO: A local radio station reported that investigators are trying to piece together details of a crash that left 18-year-old Justice Johnson of Miami Township dead. Justice was driving an SUV southbound on I-675 when he lost control of the vehicle. The SUV veered off the left side of the road into the median and flipped several times. Justice was pronounced dead at the scene.

MICHIGAN: Before school Wednesday, a teen driver rammed into the back of a truck towing a backhoe, killing passenger Ja'Lisa Longoria, 18. Teen driver Elvis Peacock may have been speeding, and morning glare may have added to the crash. The Morning Sun newspaper says Ja'Lisa was a member of the school track, basketball and volleyball teams.

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Why we're doing this

This site may seem a little shocking and gory, and for any family members who found this site by accident, I am sorry for your loss and hope this site does not add any pain to your grieving.

With this site, I am attempting to chronicle teen driving fatalities for one school year to demonstrate to parents and teens the risks associated with driving. I believe teen driving fatalities can be prevented, and that we can change the way people look at this issue much like we changed the way society looked at smoking: It's gone from an acceptable behavior to one that is largely shunned.

I don't mean we should stop teens from driving -- no one can get better at something if they can't practice. But if teens are aware of the behaviors that lead to fatalities, they may begin policing themselves. Telling their friends who are texting or speeding to stop it or slow down. Or calling home and asking mom or dad to come pick them up instead of taking that planned ride home, because they're feeling unsafe.

Driving is the number one cause of death for people aged 16 to 20. In 2008, 4,497 16- to 20-year-olds died in car accidents, accounting for 12% of all auto fatalities.

I hope this site gets people to think, and to talk. Please feel free to post comments, or send along pictures or links to online memorials. I will try to keep the site as PG rated as I can, given the nature of the topic.