Caught On Tape: Teen Drivers Moments Before a Crash | Nightline |ABC News

Summary

The video script highlights the alarming impact of distracted driving, particularly among teenagers, through graphic illustrations and real-life accident footage. It reveals that distractions, including texting and talking, are involved in nearly 60% of teen car crashes, a figure significantly higher than police reports suggest. The tragic story of Liz Marx, who suffered severe injuries from a car crash caused by texting, underscores the life-altering consequences of such behavior. The script calls for awareness and stricter laws to prevent distracted driving, emphasizing the message that no text is worth risking a life.

Takeaways

• 🚨 Distracted driving, particularly by teenagers, is a leading cause of car accidents in the U.S.
• 📱 The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety's research revealed that distractions were a factor in nearly 60% of teen car crashes, much higher than previous estimates.
• 👥 Talking to someone in the vehicle was identified as the most common distraction, followed by texting and talking on cell phones.
• 🚗 Teenagers have the highest crash rate of any group, highlighting the need for awareness and education.
• 🌟 The tragic story of Liz Marx illustrates the severe consequences of texting while driving, resulting in permanent injuries and disabilities.
• 🏥 Liz Marx's ongoing medical journey includes the use of a prosthetic eye and dealing with the loss of multiple senses, emphasizing the long-term impact of such accidents.
• 📢 Liz and her mother Betty are advocating for safer driving by sharing their story in schools to warn teens about the dangers of distracted driving.
• 👮‍♂️ The Department of Transportation's campaign against distracted driving has been widely viewed, indicating a broad effort to raise awareness.
• 👨‍🏫 Robert Sinclair from AAA suggests practical steps for parents to minimize teen accidents, including setting rules, choosing safe cars, and monitoring behavior.
• 🧠 The young brain's development is not fully mature until the early twenties, which may affect a teen's ability to handle distractions while driving.
• 📉 The AAA is advocating for laws to prohibit cell phone use by teen drivers, with 13 states having already implemented such measures.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the video script provided?

The main focus of the video script is the issue of distracted driving, particularly among teenagers, and its serious consequences, including car crashes and fatalities.

What is the percentage of car crashes involving distractions as found by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety?

The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that distractions were a factor in nearly 60% of car crashes, which is four times higher than previous estimates based on police reports.

What was the most common distraction among the drivers involved in the crashes analyzed by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety?

The most common distraction was talking to someone in the vehicle, followed by texting and talking on cell phones.

What happened to Liz Marx when she took her eyes off the road to read a text from her mom while driving?

Liz Marx crashed into a tow truck, resulting in serious brain injuries, disfigurement, disability, and blindness in one eye.

What is the current condition of Liz Marx after the accident?

At the age of 20, Liz Marx remains disfigured, disabled, and has lost her sense of smell, the ability to create natural tears, and struggles with sleep without medication. She is also fitted with a prosthetic eye.

What is the role of Liz Marx and her mother Betty in raising awareness about distracted driving?

Liz Marx and her mother Betty travel the country, speaking at high schools to warn teens about the hazards of distracted driving and to emphasize that no text is worth risking one's life.

What is the Department of Transportation's stance on distracted driving as portrayed in the script?

The Department of Transportation warns against distracted driving and has a video that has been viewed over 8 million times on YouTube, emphasizing that the message is not just for teens but for all drivers.

What advice does the script provide for parents to minimize teen accidents?

The script suggests that parents should set rules, buy a safe car, and monitor their teen's driving behavior, including possibly using tracking devices to ensure safe practices.

What is the significance of the multiscreen simulator mentioned in the script?

The multiscreen simulator is used to help teens learn how to drive and to demonstrate how even small distractions can lead to serious, sometimes fatal, driving errors.

What is the current status of laws prohibiting cell phone use by teen drivers according to the script?

The AAA is pushing states to pass laws prohibiting cell phone use by teen drivers, and so far, 13 states have not complied with this recommendation.

What was the punishment for 18-year-old Aaron Devo after he was convicted of vehicular homicide by texting?

The script does not provide specific details about Aaron Devo's punishment, but it mentions that he became the first driver in Massachusetts to be convicted of vehicular homicide by texting after a fatal accident.

Outlines

00:00

🚨 Teen Distracted Driving Dangers

The video script highlights the alarming dangers of distracted driving among teenagers, focusing on the perils of using phones while driving. It features shocking videos of teens losing control of their vehicles due to distractions such as texting or talking to passengers. The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety's research reveals that distraction is a factor in nearly 60% of teen car crashes, which is significantly higher than previous estimates. The script emphasizes the devastating consequences of such behavior, exemplified by the tragic story of Liz Marx, who suffered severe injuries and life-altering disabilities after crashing while reading a text from her mother. The video serves as a stark warning to parents and drivers alike about the risks of distracted driving and the importance of avoiding any form of in-vehicle distraction.

05:00

🛑 Strategies to Combat Distracted Driving

This paragraph of the script discusses strategies to reduce distracted driving, particularly among teens. It suggests setting clear expectations for teen drivers, possibly through a written contract outlining acceptable behaviors. The recommendation is to choose a safe car, ideally a slow, underpowered, and larger vehicle. Additionally, it advises parents to monitor their teen's driving behavior, mentioning the availability of tracking devices. The script also warns against the dangers of loud music and the misconception that hands-free devices eliminate the risks of phone use while driving. The AAA is advocating for stricter laws to prohibit cell phone use by teen drivers, and the script concludes with a powerful message from Liz Marx, urging against texting while driving, emphasizing that no text is worth the risk to one's life.

Keywords

💡Distracted Driving

Distracted driving refers to any activity that diverts attention away from the primary task of driving. In the context of the video, it is the leading cause of car crashes among teenagers, with various forms of distractions such as using a phone, playing music, or engaging in conversation being highlighted. The script illustrates this with examples of teens losing control of their vehicles due to being distracted by their phones.

💡Teenagers

Teenagers are young individuals typically in their adolescence, aged between 13 and 19. The video emphasizes that teenagers have the highest crash rate of any group, making them a focal point for discussions on road safety. The script provides a personal story of a teenager, Liz Marx, whose life was drastically changed by a car crash caused by texting while driving.

💡Car Crashes

Car crashes are accidents involving one or more vehicles. The video's theme revolves around the fact that car crashes are the number one killer of American teenagers, with a significant percentage of these crashes attributed to distracted driving. The script presents various scenarios where distracted driving leads to severe accidents.

💡AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety

The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety is an organization dedicated to preventing traffic crashes and reducing injuries on roads. In the video, the foundation is mentioned for its comprehensive research analyzing nearly 1,700 accident videos, revealing that distraction was a factor in nearly 60% of teen car crashes.

💡Eyes Off the Road

Eyes off the road is a term used to describe the dangerous situation where a driver is not looking at the road ahead while driving. The video script uses this term to highlight the primary type of distraction, which involves visual inattention, such as looking at a phone or engaging in activities that require the driver to divert their gaze from the road.

💡Texting and Driving

Texting and driving is the act of composing, sending, reading, or browsing text messages while operating a motor vehicle. The video script emphasizes this as a particularly dangerous form of distracted driving, with one of the victims, Liz Marx, having been involved in a severe accident due to reading a text message from her mother.

💡Crash Rate

Crash rate refers to the frequency of vehicular accidents per a certain measure, such as per capita or per mile driven. The script mentions that teenagers have the highest crash rate, indicating that they are statistically more likely to be involved in car accidents, often due to inexperience and distractions.

💡Disfigured

Disfigured describes a person who has suffered injuries that have resulted in permanent changes to their physical appearance. In the video, Liz Marx is described as disfigured and disabled from her accident, which has had a profound impact on her life and serves as a stark warning against distracted driving.

💡Prosthetic Eye

A prosthetic eye is an artificial replacement for a lost or diseased eye. The video script mentions that Liz Marx is fitted with a prosthetic eye as part of her ongoing medical treatment after the accident, illustrating the severe and long-term consequences of distracted driving.

💡Driving Simulator

A driving simulator is a device or system that mimics the driving of a vehicle in a controlled environment for training or testing purposes. The video script describes a multiscreen simulator used to demonstrate how even small distractions can significantly impair driving ability, emphasizing the importance of focused attention while driving.

💡Hands-Free Device

A hands-free device allows the user to make phone calls or perform other functions without the need to hold the device. The video script cautions that using a hands-free device while driving does not guarantee safety, as the cognitive distraction of the conversation can still impair driving performance.

💡Vehicular Homicide

Vehicular homicide is a criminal charge for causing a fatal accident while driving recklessly or under the influence. The script mentions that in 2012, Aaron DeVo became the first driver in Massachusetts to be convicted of vehicular homicide by texting, highlighting the legal consequences of distracted driving.

Highlights

A new video illustrates the dangers of teenagers, cars, and distractions.

Distracted driving is the number one killer of American teenagers.

AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety analyzed nearly 1,700 accident videos.

Distraction found in nearly 60% of crashes, four times higher than police reports suggest.

Talking to someone in the vehicle is the most common distraction.

Texting and talking on cell phones are the second biggest distractions.

Teenagers have the highest crash rate of any group in the country.

The story of Liz Marx, who suffered severe injuries from texting while driving.

Liz Marx's ongoing medical journey includes a prosthetic eye and loss of other senses.

Liz and her mother now speak at high schools to warn about distracted driving.

A survey shows many students admit to texting and driving, thinking it's acceptable if parents do it.

The Department of Transportation's video has been viewed over 8 million times on YouTube.

Fresh Green Light Driving School uses a multiscreen simulator to teach teens about driving distractions.

Robert Sinclair from AAA emphasizes the need to eliminate all distractions before driving.

Young drivers have limited experience and an underdeveloped brain until around 21 or 22 years old.

Parents are advised to set rules, buy safe cars, and monitor their teen's driving behavior.

AAA is pushing for laws prohibiting cell phone use by teen drivers; 13 states have not complied.

The consequences for distracted driving can include severe punishment, such as vehicular homicide convictions.

Liz Marx's message emphasizes the importance of not texting and driving, as a text can wait but life can't.

Transcripts

a new video tonight with a graphic

illustration of the combustible mix of

teenagers cars and distraction this is a

warning not only for parents but for

anybody who Gets behind the wheel and

here's ABC's Lindsay

Janice watch as this teen distracted by

her phone for roughly 6 seconds loses

control and kin off the

road and this teen one hand on the phone

another on the wheel just seconds before

colliding with another car

holy here's another playing DJ before

running off the

[Music]

road and another chatting to her friend

then plowing into the car in front of

her that was your pH that was my phone

these shocking videos are all part of an

unprecedented look at the number one

killer of American teenagers car crashes

in the most comprehensive research of it

kind the AAA foundation for Traffic

Safety analyzed nearly 1,700 accident

videos finding distraction a factor in

nearly 60% of crashes that's four times

the previous estimates based on police

reports what we call eyes off the road

the biggest distraction may come as a

surprise what was the most common the

most common was talking to somebody in

the vehicle exactly what we're doing and

the second biggest distraction

texting and talking on cell

phones teens have the highest crash rate

of any group in the country Marilyn

teenager Liz Marx was a beautiful

popular high schooler who even did

modeling on the side when in April 2012

she was driving and received a text from

her mom I would ask Liz all the time do

you text and drive do you use your cell

phone behind the wheel and she told me

no so I felt confident I felt that it

was okay to text Liz in the moments Liz

took her eyes off the road to read the

text she crashed into a tow truck the

17-year-old was airlifted to a hospital

with serious brain injuries I remember

praying and as my head was

down I saw blood all over the

floor and it was my daughter's

blood and now at 20 Liz remains

disfigured disabled and blinded in one

eye so let's just take a look and see

how you're doing in here today ocularist

Timothy FR at John's Hopkins is fitting

Liz with a prosthetic eye just one part

of her lifelong medical Journey what's

my future life of this well it's going

to be very much like having two eyes

again from the accident injuries she's

lost her sense of smell can't create

natural tears and can't fall asleep

without drugs I had to really learn how

to walk talk read write Chew ABC 1 to3 I

didn't know how to do anything Liz and

her mother Betty now travel the country

speaking out at high schools to warn

teens about the hazards of distracted

driving and how no text is worth risking

your life we asked the students do you

text and drive and you know a lot of

them rais their hands and then we ask do

your parents text and drive and those

hands go flying so the young adults the

young drivers think if they can do it

then I can do it if you get a text don't

look at it they p for the Department of

Transportation has been viewed over 8

million times on YouTube it's a warning

that isn't just for teens but for all of

us who drive in this age of 247

technology so here I go Robert there's a

lot of traffic building up here to

better understand how small distractions

can lead to Serious sometimes fatal

errors she really let me have it that's

916 po

de I headed to fresh Green Light Driving

School in Greenwich Connecticut with

aaa's Robert Sinclair this is a

multiscreen simulator that many teens

are using to learn how to drive try

texting him at

35350 I was surprised how just a tiny

bit of distraction made me second guess

my driving

[Music]

ability Sinclair says if we're serious

about safety we need to eliminate every

distraction even before you get started

we're going to have you remove your

bulky winter coat no kidding I can't

drive my coat abely you shouldn't

because it restricts the movement of

your arms winter coat does not allow

disobey the driving instructor no that's

right so how can we all be safer behind

the wheel d 16 to 19 years old we're

talking about a driver that has very

limited experience limited training and

numerous Studies have shown that the the

young brain is not fully developed until

it gets to 21 or 22 years old I asked

Robert what parents could do to minimize

teen accidents number one set some rules

you let your teen driver know exactly

what is expected of him or her where you

outline very carefully perhaps even with

a written contract the behaviors that

are acceptable number two buy a safe car

you want a slow underpowered preferably

big vehicle and number three monitor

their behavior time there are devices

that you can track SP on your children

is that why you want to keep them alive

for all drivers adultss included he

warns against loud music and also says

just because you use a handsfree device

doesn't mean you're safe AAA is now

pushing states to pass laws prohibiting

cell phone use by teen drivers so far 13

states have not for distracted teen

drivers lucky enough to survive the

punishment can be

severe in 2012 18-year-old Aaron dvo

became the first driver in Mass chusetts

to be convicted of vehicular homicide by

texting after hitting a 54-year-old man

on the day of the accident Devo sending

a reported

193 text as for Liz Marx who answered

that fateful text from her mom her

message is simple the message is to not

text and drive a text message can wait

but your life can't so just don't waste

it like I wasted mine for Nightline in

Connecticut I'm Lindsay

Janice all right thanks to Lindsay

Janice tonight and you should know that

every driver shown in that AAA video did

survive nobody was killed in any of

those

crashes