Kevin was a phenomenal young man who loved without limits. His smile illuminated every room he entered, and he is truly missed. My objective as his mother is to ensure that his life continues to speak for him and that his untimely death is not in vain. There have been a plethora of young adults and teens who either lost their lives or were injured in a fatal vehicle accident. 

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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released its early estimate of traffic fatalities in 2021, with a projected estimated of 42,915 people. This number increased from 38,824 in 2020. Amongst these numbers, at least 25% were teens or young adults. In 2019 there, over 200,000 youth were injured in a vehicle accidents. 

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Developmental research suggests that teen drivers do not always realize the consequences of their actions because areas of the brain responsible for making well-grounded decisions and judgments are not fully developed until about age 25 (Keating, 2007). Because of this immaturity, youth are more likely to take risks such as speeding, tailgating, driving while distracted, and driving without a seatbelt. This, coupled with a lack of driving experience, increases the likelihood that younger drivers will be involved in crashes and will be injured if they are in a crash.