Every year 12,000 children are killed in car accidents, and it feels as if all 12,000 of those children currently live in Missouri. Our students, friends and partners are getting into accidents because of the lack of safety measures taken in the car (e.g. the lack of seatbelts). 

In Feb., three teens died when their car crashed into a tree. None of them were wearing a seatbelt. Grieving as a community is very difficult, but it doesn’t get easier when you constantly need to do it. We all say “check up on your loved ones,” “call a suicide help line if you need to,” “I’m here to talk,” but there’s not much to be done if our own recklessness is killing us. As a generation, we fought and still fight so hard for our freedom, but when given the freedom to drive, we end up killing each other. 

Accidents happen, but death can be prevented when measures are put in place. Airbags are put in place to protect us. Seatbelts are put in place to protect us. Speeding laws are put in place to protect us. 

As students and teenagers, having fun with friends and going for a late night drive is understandable, but it’s sad to wake up and hear about a death in the Viking community for whatever reason. 

As a community, we say all of this in an effort to protect our own, but we don’t take the actions necessary to protect each other. I have friends who will not start their car until everyone in the car has a seatbelt on, and that is what looking out for your loved ones is- not prayers after an accident, but prevention before anything happens. It’s so easy to get in the car with friends because it seems as if nothing bad can ever happen to you, but unfortunately bad things happen every day. 

Accidents are just accidents and they happen all the time, but wearing your seatbelt can be the difference between life and death.