FORT MILL, SC (WBTV) - A campaign designed to save lives has officially kicked off. It is directed to teenagers who text while driving. Ashley Mariah showed up at Fort Mill High School to tell students how dangerous it is.
Back in June 2011, 20 year old Mariah was on her way to pick her mother up from the airport. She took a wrong turn and decided to text her mother that she would be late. That's when her life turned upside down.
"When I looked up," said Mariah. "I saw a cement wall on my left and I was too close to it. I swerved to the right and at that point my SUV fishtailed and I hit a cement wall going 70 mph."
Her SUV flipped several times and she was thrown out of the car. She still has scars to prove texting and driving is a dangerous thing to do.
"It's a miracle I am standing here with you today." said Mariah.
The survivor is now sharing her story with students at Fort Mill High School. Her message is sinking in. Students have signed the pledge W8 2 TXT.
"I signed the pledge," Fort Mill HS student LaQuell Wilson said. "'cause I've been in the car with people texting and driving and they are swerving on the road, I say you have to put the phone up."
SC Highway Patrol says last year 165 young people between the age of 15-24 died in a car accident on SC roadways. Troopers say some of the fatalities involved drivers being distracted, either with phones, IPods, or other devices.
SUBWAY has also teamed up with this effort. If students go to www.w82txtpledge.com and sign the pledge and the school that has the most signatures will be eligible to win free sub for the entire student population.
South Carolina doesn't have a law that state texting and driving is illegal. Mariah says that would be nice. So until that happens she will do her part to try to keep students alive.
"If we save one life," Mariah said. "That's all that matters."
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. COPYRIGHT 2012.
