Last month I attended the National Distracted Driving Summit, in Washington, D.C., organized by the National Organizations for Youth Safety, www.noys.org. While there, I met a dynamo from Virginia named Julie Garner and learned about Project Yellow Light.
Julie’s son Hunter, 16, died in a crash in 2007, just a few months after my son Reid. Julie has now organized a national video contest, Project Yellow Light, www.projectyellowlight.com. The contest seek videos, 60 seconds in length, that will prevent teens from texting while driving. The prize is a scholarship, along with distributing of the winning video to approximately 1,600 TV stations nationwide. Julie Garner is joined in her efforts by NOYS and the Ad Council, the national advertising organization. So, this is a big time contest with potentially huge rewards for the winner — not to mention the cause of saving lives. Details are available on the Project website. I am pleased to be able to pass along information about it.
More on the Distracted Driving Summit in the next post. Sorry for the recent slowdown in posts. As I write, this, Connecticut is finally beginning to recover from this past weekend’s snow storm and resulting statewide power outages.
Julie & family are personal friends of ours and although our children were very young when Hunter’s accident happened, his death affected us deeply. Our girls will grow up with the knowledge of safe driving & the horrible things that can happen when you aren’t practicing safe driving skills. I am very excited that Project Yellow Light is going national!
To all who have children and want for them as we have, hold them close and trust yourself when having to say no to the dangerious request they make.
Make a list of things not allowed and stick to it.
Check the driving skills or the lack there of of thoes yours will be riding with.
Stay in contact with the families of thier friends.
Write them letters and tell them how much you love them and what you respect about them.
You never know what you have till its gone. Treat them special.
Pray when you wake you will still have
Hunter was not mine. Its impossible to say goodbye.
Don,t mess up. please!
Love lowell, Hunter,s Dad