Safe Driving Campaigns Sends Eye-Opening Messages to Drivers
Several messages are popping up in Elmore County, getting drivers to think twice about taking their eyes off the road.
“Tragedy and split second decisions-they can effect a community and your life forever,” says Beverly Eddy, aunt of Austin Augustine.
It is all part of a safe driving campaign by the family of Austin Augustine. Augustine was the driver in a vehicle that crashed, fatally killing himself, two other teens in the vehicle with him and an Elmore County Sheriff’s Deputy in November 2014.
“They got on Fire Tower Road from Emerald Mountain and after that point God and the people in that wreck know what happened,” says Eddy.
One person survived the wreck.
“He says it does not remember anything. That survivor had on a seat belt,” says Eddy.
Authorities say excessive speed was a factor in the crash. The car the teens were in was traveling at 90 mph. At the time of the accident, 16-year-old Augustine had his drivers license for only 9 days. Part of Alabama’s graduated driver’s license law says 16 and 17-year-olds that are licensed for less than 6 months can’t have more than one non-family passenger inside of a vehicle.
“Not to put on your seat belt, to drive distracted, to speed, to drink and drive-it can effect not only your family but it effects an entire community and the future for a long time,” says Eddy.
The campaign is also part of Wetumpka High School’s spring production of Footloose where Augustine was active in theatre.
I was going through some of the promotional materials and one of the advice’s they gave was that we should tie it in with safe driving and immediately my mind went to Austin Augustine’s family,” says Jeff Glass, Wetumpka High School Theatre Director.
The movie footloose-as some know included a tragic wreck involving teens.
It is very evident so the rebellion for the protagonist is not just about dancing. In the end it”s about bringing the community out of their grief.”
That is what this campaign aims to do.
“We can’t turn back the hands of time but we’re doing is trying to march forward and make a difference,” says Eddy.
Alabama’s graduated drivers license law also states that teen drivers can’t use non-essential handheld communication devices when behind the wheel. They also can’t drive a vehicle between midnight and 6 am. But there are some exceptions.
