TOPEKA, Kan, (WIBW) -- AAA Kansas hopes a new campaign convinces high school students that distracted driving is socially unacceptable. Two women share their stories of how easy an accident can happen and a phone call or text can wait.
Jacque Tierce and Shiane Wondra shared their experiences with distracted driving during an assembly for Rossville and Silver Lake Students Wednesday morning.
Tierce lost her daughter, Danielle, last year in an accident.
“She had been texting on Snapchat while she was driving and she rear-ended the back end of a semi going 65 to 70 miles an hour. She didn’t brake. She didn’t see it coming,” she told students.
Wondra, a high school student, was involved in a similar crash.
“Back in August of 2018 I was headed up to Horse Thief Reservoir to go tubing with my family, and I was Snapchatting my friend and rear-ended a semi going 70 miles an hour,” she said.
Tierce and Wondra shared their stories in hopes students think twice about texting and driving.
“Their life is more important than just a text message or a Snapchat,” Wondra added.
Shawn Steward with AAA Kansas said 59% of all teen crashes involve distracted driving.
“So it’s really becoming as much or bigger of an issue than drunk driving,” he said.
Tierce and Wondra said their experiences affected many people.
“My other friend that I was testing she still feels bad that I wrecked texting her, and it was about something that completely could have waited,” Wondra said.
They hope another family does not experience what they have.
“Losing my daughter even though I wasn’t there when the crash happened I relive that crash when I’m driving behind a semi,” Tierce added.
Tierce created an “I love you more box” to get people to put down their phones. Drivers are supposed to decorate the box with things that they love and put their phones inside when driving. She hopes it will get people thinking of all the things they love and could leave behind if they use their phone while driving.
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