Written Stories
My friend Clayton and I were driving back to my house from his, which is just half a mile down the road from my house. I had made this drive hundreds of times, and I have never had any problems. I was ready to get home and i noticed there were no other cars so I decided to speed up a little. I was driving at about 75 mph and we were listening to music and I just glanced over to my left for a second when I heard Clayton yell at me, “We’re going off the road!” I looked over and saw that we were going off the road a little and in a panic i steered to the left, causing us to swerve. I heard a bang and I felt the car begin to slide. I closed my eyes and I kept feeling the back end of the car bounce off the ground. Things were flying all over the inside of the car and I just kept thinking, “I’m going to die!” The car finally stopped and we got out yelling as loud as we could for help. I called my mom and she asked what had happened but we had no idea of the damage we caused. It turns out we had flown off of the road, hit a trashcan, two culverts and a tree. The crash lasted only a few seconds though it felt like it lasted an eternity. The car is now totaled and the cop said that we are lucky to walk away from the crash with very minor injuries. The crash showed me that i am not invincible on the road like i thought i was. I never thought it would happen to me, until that night.
Hunter
Paris, TX
The disturbing call came at 5am in the morning during our Christmas break, 2012. I woke up and answered the call. My nanny was on the other end crying her eyes out. She told me that my cousin Allen and his girlfriend, Sam, were in a bad car crash involving them and a feed truck. Sam woke Allen up and started chewing him out because she was late for work. He told her he didn’t want to get on the icy roads, but she wouldn’t listen. So he woke up my other cousin, Jasmyne, to watch their baby while he took Sam to work. He took the back roads to her job, and went around a corner way too fast and hit a patch of ice. The car started to spin out of control. He caught a glimpse of the feed truck sitting in the middle of the road and he slammed on his breaks to try and stop. They swerved into a ditch and then back out onto the road and then slid backwards under the rear end of the feed truck. They were at the back of the feed truck and by the time the car came to a complete stop under the truck they were at the cab. He got out of the car and pulled Sam through the front window. After he pulled her out he collapsed in the road. Allen had three breaks in his back and one in his neck. Then after the swelling went down the doctors found another break in his back bringing the total of breaks to five. Sam just had staples in her head. I put the title as Somebody Was Watching because Allen is gonna be okay. He isn’t gonna be paralyzed. If Jasmyne had not watched the baby, the baby probably would not have lived. The car seat was in the middle of the road.
Chelsea
Paris, Texas
Tyi Leonard is one of my best friends. We would do just about everything together. We have built go carts together, stayed at each other’s houses, and always drove around in my car. We were like brothers. There was a time when I lived with him because my parents were always gone and his parents didn’t like me living by myself.
One night Tyi and another friend of mine, Kalyl, were staying at his house and they wanted to go to Paris. Kalyl was talking to a girl that lived in Bonham and she said she was going to Paris with a friend of hers. She said she would come by and pick Tyi and Kalyl up in Roxton so they could go to Paris. The girls finally showed up at about 11 or 12 and Kalyl asked her if she had her permit or anything because she was only 15 at the time. She lied and said yes. He also asked whose car she was driving and she lied and said it was hers, but she stole it from her mom. It had handicap stickers all over it. They went along with it because they wanted to go to Paris.
They were driving down Jones Lane out by Brookston and the girl that was driving was texting someone. One minute she looked down to text and the next she was almost in the ditch. She panicked and cut the wheel all the way to the left and the car flipped several times. Tyi was ejected out of the back window on the second flip and Kalyl was ejected out on the third flip. Tyi was care flighted to Dallas. Kalyl and the two girls went to the hospital in Paris. Both girls were fine, one of them had a torn ACL and the other barely had a scratch on her. Kalyl had a severe gash on his head and shoulder and the seat belt cut his stomach. He also had a concussion.
Tyi got the worst of the crash. He broke his hand, had scratches all over him, and was paralyzed from the waist down. The doctor told Tyi he was paralyzed later on that week but he had already knew. He had no feeling in his legs, it was obvious to him. This all happened on a Saturday night. My girlfriend heard over the police scanner that he was headed to Dallas and she told me that night. I was devastated. That Monday at school every one was crying. Our Spanish teacher started a fundraiser and she asked us what we should put on the posters. Another friend of mine said “Do It For Tyi.” That statement was on every poster that we made. Tyi requested to see me in the hospital but I was already on my way there to see him.
To this day we are still best friends. He is my brother from another mother. He is in a wheel chair, but nobody sees him as a guy in a wheel chair. They see him as a friend, a fighter, and a survivor nothing more nothing less.
J.M.
Paris, TX
Superman…that is what we called him. He would never get hurt or pass away…at least that’s what I thought.
I didn’t go to church because I didn’t do my chores. I assumed that everything was normal. I didn’t see anyone from church until the next day at lunch. I sat down at the table and Jordan asked why I wasn’t at church I explained and she said “Well I guess you heard about Scott then?” I looked at her confused and said “No?” she got real quiet and said “He died on his way to Paris.” thinking it was some sort of sick joke i just laughed it off.
Like I said he’s my superman. He can’t die. I told her she was lying. Said it wasn’t funny. She pulled out her phone and showed me the multiple “R.I.P Scott” posts on his wall.
Everyone thought he was invincible. That he would never die. But he made one fatal mistake that Wednesday. He took off his seat belt so he could sit closer to his fiance. She took her’s off too. One little animal ran out in front of them. He swerved. The truck flipped. Now my superman is gone…
J.D.
Paris, TX
I know this website is called Teens in the Driver Seat, but my father’s story is what inspired me to join TDS. On February 20, 2010, I woke up to the sounds of my grandmother screaming and crying. I went into the living room and saw her on the floor crying and when I asked what happened she said my father had passed away in a car accident. He was texting and driving and hit the side of a train, dieing on impact. At first I didn’t believe it but then I saw his phone record and saw he was typing a message before the accident. I was shocked and could not believe it. From then on I swore I would never text and drive or drive under the influence.
Dylan
Hamshire, TX
It was a normal Wednesday afternoon I was talking to my best friend Tyler while he was driving to church. He knew what dangers came with texting and driving but he didn’t listen. He was my best friend and I was used to it. The next thing I knew I was finding out he wrecked and his truck had rolled. He didn’t have a seat belt on and he was texting and talking to his fiance who was right beside him. He got ejected from the vehicle and died instantly 6 days after his birthday.
He never even saw it coming. You wouldn’t even imagine the pain I went through after his death. He was always smiling and he was a great friend. I never would have imagined he would die so young. I have never stopped thinking about him. He showed me an important lesson that night. Texting and driving is not worth it at all. The hurt will never go away. You never think of the people that you hurt when your sending that text while you are driving but it hurts a lot more people than you would think.
Kindyl
Paris, TX
The star football player passed way in a car crash. He and 9 other friends were with him in the car, but none of the passengers died. Five of the other passengers were also football players on his team and all were badly injured and in need of intensive care. The day after the accident, the school was all dressed in black to honor the loss of their star football player. By the end of the week they were doing a candle lighting where the whole community came together.
Plzzzz be safe cuz u never now who is gonna be missing you when ur not here.
R.M.
Laredo, TX
October 25, 2009 Started off as a great day this was the day of my mom and her twin brothers birthday but turned in to a horrific day. The afternoon on October 25 my family received some bad news… my Uncle Sean had been in a wreck and it wasn’t looking very good which had happened about a mile from my house. My Uncle was driving the tractor to the field when a truck driver ran into him hitting the back of the planter which saved his life. My uncle was thrown through the side of the tractor window and landed in the ditch the tractors tires with everything else laid a mile away from the scene the planter and tractor were torn to pieces my dad was one of the first to arrive at the scene people described it as if no one could have made it out alive my dad held my uncle holding his head that was cut open enough to have 17 staples put in. Luckily both made it out alive the truck driver was transported to the hospital with injuries later my family found out that the truck driver was under the influence of alcohol and had a background of seizures. Today my uncle is healthy and we thank God for watching over him each and every day.
Jordan
Lazbuddie, TX
My brothers friend who was practically my brother had been drinking had gotten in a car and started driving. he was driving to my house which is in valley view, he was driving from Gainesville, not that far away maybe ten minutes. My house is on a dirt road. it has a lot of trees and a couple of turns. He got on the dirt road to my house and maybe a hundred yards from my house he swerved and hit a tree. the compact of the tree had broken his neck in four places and broke his knee. He didnt go to the hospital till the next day he didnt think any thing was wrong just sore. my brother and sister and i took him to the hospital. The doctor had told us that he broke his neck and if he would of moved a wrong way he could of been paralyzed for life. do you want to drink and drive? i doubt it
KH
Valley View, TX
On the night of November 28, 2010 things pretty much took a turn for the worst. I practically watched my life flash before my eyes. Earlier that day I had spent most of my time playing basketball at the school gym. My aunt called me while I was playing and asked me to come and stay the weekend with her. I jumped right on that offer because I have a four year old cousin that I adore. To top it all off, a really cute guy that I know was at my aunt’s house as well. At around 6:45 that evening I went home to pack my bag and tell my parents I loved them. I was in a hurry because I wanted to catch Kyle (the hot guy) before he left. When I was pulling out of our driveway, my ex texted me and was saying some pretty rude things to me. So here’s a recap of our scenario: It’s nighttime, I’m speeding, I’m also on a dirt road, I’m messing with the radio and to top it all off I’m texting too, ALL WHILE DRIVING. I have been down that dirt road thousands of times, I’ve memorized where every hole, intersection, and obstacle is in the road. I look up and there’s a dead end about 15 feet away, i slam on my brakes and got down to 40 mph and hit the dead end, being launched 25 feet in the air and about 300 feet into the corn field that was on that section of land. I learned that night that I was not invincible and that dying can happen to ANYBODY.
- Kylie
Lazbuddie, TX
I was having the typical Friday. I had helped my 3 children get ready for the school day. We had a very busy week with a lot of family activities and the usual homework and chores. I taught at one school district and my children went to another. They all went to school together with my 17 year old driving. My youngest son, Justin always walked his little sister into the elementary and then the boys went to the high school. At 4 in the evening we were all back home doing a few things before my daughters t-ball game. My son, Justin was riding with me to the game. He never missed his little sisters games, because she had always been at his football and basketball games as his biggest supporter. I love that about my children, they always were their siblings biggest fans. I coached her little team and Justin was sitting in the stands when 3 of his friends came to the game. He came to me after the game was over and asked could he go eat with his friends. He was 15 years old and had never asked to go anywhere like that and his best friend, Drew was going. They were all good kids and students and I said yes. He kissed me and his sister and said I will be home by ten. I knew the driver and trusted everything would be ok. She was older and had road experience. I have always been called an overprotected Mom.
They went to a Mexican food restaurant and then came down the gravel/dirt road where we live and visited her dad. He was to be home at 10 and never made it. The phone rang at 10:01 and the driver said we have had a wreck and I can’t wake Justin up. I called 911 and my husband and other son left to be at the wreck. It happened about 1 mile from our house. Justin was a passenger in the back seat on the drivers side, she lost control, hit a tree on his side of the car and he died instantly. My husband started CPR and wouldn’t stop until a nurse friend that lives on the same gravel road came and took over.
All of the others are married and have families now. When it happened she said a cow was in the road. Later we found out different. I have a friend/secretary of our school that lost her son to a drunk driver the next spring on his way home to get ready for his prom. Being from a small town I felt all alone and very guilty for letting him go that night. There have been many teens in our town that have died since. It is not easy by any means, but life has gone on.
I miss him so much, every minute of everyday. He was so liked by his peers, believes in God and a very good football player. A very good kid! I teach at the same school where he attended now and have started this project with my students 9-12 grade. I am able to tell my story to my students now and I hope it will make a difference. You never know what turns you will have in life, but this has been an altering change in ours that will always be forever. Love you forever and always–Justin Dale Archer.
- Carie
Paris, TX
It was June 9th, 2009, my 17th birthday, so of course we were partying. The party raged around and my phone was going off. My cousin Jace was calling, she had been drinking and she wanted to come see me but I didn’t answer. My girlfriend and I drove back to my house and fell asleep. We woke up around 9 a.m. with my sister standing in front of me crying. Our cousin had died, she exclaimed. I thought she was joking but the tears were real.
My cousin was driving home from Amarillo between 3 a.m. and 6 a.m. She had wrecked her mustang and rolled it 8 times. I went to the scene and walked around. I saw the dents in the sandbanks where her car hit. I counted all 8 spots. I found stuff that belonged to her – earrings, money, pieces of her car everywhere. My heart sank when I picked up a ripped sheet of paper left by the paramedics. They tried to keep her from fading but her heart stopped at 7:23 a.m., June 10th, 2009. Internal bleeding from her seat belt. The passenger, who wasn’t wearing a seat belt, survived the crash to be hit by an oncoming drunk driver. He lived with 3 broken vertebrae, 2 in his spine and 1 in his neck.
- Dallas
Fritch, TX
I’m 13 and my friend was killed by texting and driving. Her name was Jessie Soto and she was 15 years old. She had her permit and was driving without her mom. She had gone on the back roads of Los Angeles, California where she had moved 2 months before her death. She didn’t think that it would happen to her, so she did it. She went 95mph in a 65mph speed limit zone. She didn’t know what would happen and she didn’t think about it. She died October 5, 2010.
- SCA
Bronte, TX
2009. It seemed like a normal high school homecoming. The football game, dance, and of course, the ‘after-party.’ A couple years before, a family had lost their son to suicide. This time it was different.
Chris, his cousin and a friend had been involved that night. Chris had not been drinking. They had nowhere to stay that night and knew that Chris’s cousin lived no more than 30 miles away. They didn’t think it would be that bad of a drive. Turns out they were wrong…
11:47 p.m. Friday night, everything seemed like a good time. Chris’s cousin was driving, friend in the passanger seat and Chris in the back.
6:04 a.m., Chris, his cousin and friend were found on the side of the road. Chris with no left arm, cousin lifeless and friend bawling.
No one still knows exactly what went on that night but everyone’s life was impacted. Chris layed on the road for at least 8 hours with no left arm next to his life-less cousin. That was the second cousin he’d lost from that family. I still talk to him to this day, he’s doing great, and is in the process of getting an arm. No one knew how lucky he would get.
Please don’t drive drunk, you never know who’s life it may effect. Chris’s whole family was involved that night. It hurts, and no one should be killed or hurt for their innocence.
- Emily
Denton, TX
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