What motivated you to speak out about distracted driving?

When I was 15 years old, I was riding in the car with my mother, who was texting and driving. After several instances of texting while driving, my mother nearly crashed into the back of someone. I knew at that moment that I had to do something to change people’s actions. Change starts with knowledge and the empowerment to share that knowledge with others. Having spoken to thousands of my peers over the years, I have found that change starts with one person and can grow really fast.

It’s unfortunate that much of the change in perceptions about drunk driving, seat belts, and now distracted driving is most influenced by gruesome images and videos of what can happen. I am trying to get to people BEFORE something bad happens. The impact is far-reaching in that we can save lives. To say the least, my mom doesn’t text and drive anymore. Perhaps I saved her life — maybe even my own!