Another JC Teen Driving Fatality

When is it going to end?? Is anyone talking to their teen drivers??

WTSB Headline News

"Where the Stories Break"

1090 AM ~ Smithfield, NC


Teen Killed In Fatal Clayton Area Crash
Johnston County roadways have claimed the life of another teenager. Eighteen year-old Roy Alexander Bryant of Garner died in a two-vehicle accident Monday night just after 7pm on Old US70. A report filed by Trooper T.C. Emory said Bryant was speeding and not wearing a seat belt when his car skidded across the centerline and was struck by a vehicle driven by 32 year-old Jennifer Leigh Bumgarner of South Lombard Street, Clayton. Bumgarner and a 1 year-old child in her vehicle were transported to WakeMed for treatment of non-life threatening injuries. No charges were filed in the crash, which marks the 12th fatality on Johnston County roadways this year.

 

lost for words :cry:

 

Something drastic must take place at this point in Johnston County. Don't we lead the state in teen deaths in accidents????

 

We were discussing this with a Clayton Police Officer last night, and I understand how taxing it is on the family, but we sometimes forget what the police have to go through when these things happen. My thoughts go out to all involved.

 

Well, the problem apparently lies with many teens (and adults) not buckling their seat belts. How do you remedy that? Law enforcement can rachet up the seat belt checks, but ultimately you can't make someone buckle up. Its a dilemma that really falls on driver's education instructors and parents to reinforce the importance of it.

 

Oh no....what is it going to take for these kids to slow down, wear their seat belts and pay attention? How many more young people are going to have to die before these kids wake up?!? It breaks my heart everytime I hear about something like this. Cannot even imagine what those families go thru.

 

:iagree:

 

Not just the police . . . the fire department and EMS workers as well. It's really hard on them when stuff like this happens. As the wife of one and mother of the other I can tell you it takes them a LONG time to get over what they have seen, especially when it is someone their own age.

One thing JC is doing that I think is very proactive is making the high school kids take the Alive at 25 class before they are eligible to purchase a parking pass at school. I just had to pay $25 for DD to go to a class at JCC so she can drive to school next year.

I have been at WJHS when the kids are let out and I can tell you if the way they drive in the parking lot is any indication of how they drive on the street then it's no wonder we are having all of these deaths. It's so senseless!!! Just slow down! So you may not look cool in front of your friends if you go slower, so what! At least your mother and father can watch you graduate and enjoy the things you should be enjoying at that age.

Maybe kids are allowed to get their license too soon? Maybe they should have to be 18 to even get a permit? I don't know the answer but I hope someone figures it out very soon.

 

What is it with teens NOT wearing seat belts?? Do they not teach that in drivers ed anymore?

 

I am very seriously considering not letting DD get her license till she's 18.

 

Same here. It's just not worth it. I know how I drove at that age and it's a miracle I am still here.

 

I think there should be a law where teen drivers should not be allowed to have cell phones in the car with them when they are driving. Seat belts do help save them from injury, perhaps even death, but we need to focus on what is causing distractions that ultimately cause accidents. I have seen in the news about how texting is causing all kinds of accidents in public transportation; certainly this new-fangled way of communicating is distracting our children. I don't know about you, but sometimes I have trouble even turning the stations on the radio when I am driving! Thank heavens for that little button on our Toyota steering wheel that allows me to "surf" the stations!

Is having a cell phone and constantly "needing" to talk and text on it THAT important in this day and age? I spent the first 50 years of my life without the existence of one, and I think I turned out ok...and so have my children. IMHO, cell phones are costly, largely unnecessary and a risk to use because they are distracting. We did have one for a short while, but got rid of it because we do value our time away from the home phone. And we have too many other bills to worry about without paying for one.

JMHO...

 

This is just frightening. There are too many cars going too fast on narrow curvy roads. That's bad enough, but then throw in text messaging, cell phones, IPODS etc and it gets worse. I don't want my girls in cars - period.

 

You're having to balance allowing your teen independence with considering their inexperience behind the wheel...among several other things. When I was in school, we started the classroom part of driver's ed in 9th grade and did the on-road stuff in 10th grade. By the time I was about 15 1/2 years old, I had a permit and a driver's license by 16.

Here's the difference. I drove my car to and from school. I had early release in high school for work and left at 2:00 in 11th grade and 12:30 in 12th grade. Even as a senior, I really didn't do much "social" driving to and from friends' houses or riding with friends. My work required me to drive more and I credit that with developing experience. Plus, no cell phone, Ipods or other distractions that weren't attached to the car.

Still, I took risks that were not necessary. Unfortuately, you will never perserve the life of every teen driver. Some WILL die because when teens get of age, they want to drive and demonstrate their right to "adulthood" before understanding the responsibilities that come with it. Heck, even adults have trouble with this sometimes. I've done stupid things behind the wheel in my 20s and 30s. Truthfully, I was probably more reckless in my 20s than my teens!

Really it boils down to a few close calls serving as a wake up call for those lucky enough to survive them. The rest never get to learn from their mistakes. Experience and a growing sense of responsibility behind the wheel is paramount. Age really doesn't play as big a factor, I believe. You can withhold the driver's license til their 18 or 25, but it takes experience in driving dynamics to finish the teacher's lesson.

Hammer the point home about wearing the seat belt, give them the safest car possible to drive and pray for their safety every time they leave home. That's about all you can do.

 

Drivers ed??? How bout the parents being more diligent in teaching these kids the importance of seat belts... now I know it won't always make a difference but it'll help.

 

Somebody needs to stress the importance of seat belts. Ejection from a vehicle is almost always fatal. Parents, drivers ed, anyone with teenage contact should be stressing seat belt usage.

 

I always dread this time of the year. It seems that during the last month of school and as it gets closer to graduation, our teens here in Johnston County are more likely to be involved in a serious accident and possibly loose their lives.

12 deaths in just over 5 months is an extremely sad thought. My thoughts and prayers to all the families and friends.

 

me too! teens think we are stupid and they know everything......i think 18 would better understand what we are trying to teach them and to respect the vehicle and the road.

i asked our middle school vice principle if they were going to start teaching/preaching/having speakers regarding this. no was the answer.....they wait til they get to high school. i say pound it in their heads early on and never let up!

 

:iagree: but its not just the teens that don't wear their seatbelts, drive while on the phone talking/texting and speed around here. They are however less experienced and I think that's big issue - such as running off the road and over-correcting. But then you also have the HPman that was killed this last yr in a similar type of accident. I think everyone needs to SLOW DOWN and PAY BETTER ATTENTION to their driving, for all our sakes! :cry:

 

I don't know if they do it in schools these days but when I was in high school there was a flight nurse that came in and talked to us about the teen accidents that she had responded to and showed us pictures. Very graphic pictures of what can happen if you do not wear your seatbelt and drive wrecklessly (I don't remember dead bodies, etc. but there was mangled bloody cars etc. where people had died). I swear to you that from that day I vowed to never drive really fast or not wear a seat belt. I was scared straight in that department. These kids are old enough to drive a car so they are old enough to look at what can happen if they choose to speed or not wear their seatbelt. Of course the parents who want to baby their kids could opt out of them attending such a presentation, but I think it is a good idea for all teens, IMHO. It won't work for all, but all the stops need to be pulled out at this point.