Cady A. Reynolds 10/14/1990 - 5/31/2007
Cady Anne Reynolds (C.A.R.) was a giving and energetic young person who like many young people had a very bright future in front of her. She was the oldest of five children, she worked hard for her grades, and volunteered at a local hospital and other community organizations. Her dream was to become a doctor and serve underprivledged people, especially young children.
Like all 16 year olds, getting her license was a significant event for Cady; one that came with responsibilities and rules along with the freedom of making her own choices. While driving a friend home from a movie on the evening of May 30, 2007 her car was struck by a distracted 16 year old driver as she entered an intersection. The conditions were clear, the other driver was not impaired by drugs or alcohol- it was simply a matter of a young driver not paying attention to the red traffic light or seeing the cars that were crossing in oncoming intersection. Cady’s brain was severely traumatized in the collision and she died just hours later, never regaining consciousness.
In the months that followed there were other crashes that were very similar; most involving young drivers, all resulting in at least one death. It became clear that the issue of distractions being a primary cause of crashes was not being addressed strongly enough to change the habits of new or even experienced drivers, and it was also not being investigated in serious crashes as there were no laws governing any type of distracted driving in Nebraska.
It was for this reason that the C.A.R. Alliance for Safer Teen Driving was formed as an organization to specifically address distracted driving and to appeal to all drivers to eliminate distractions that they drive with for the sake of victims, like Cady. By using facts, science and Cady’s story we hope to reduce injuries and deaths caused by this highly preventable cause.
The C.A.R. Alliance is the only Nebraska based 501c3 non profit , and one of the few in the U.S., whose sole mission it is to address distractions as a primary cause of crashes and to educate drivers on ways to decrease their risk and liability. Crashes kill more teens than any other disease or cause- and it’s the primary cause of death for all US citizens under the age of 35. Isn’t it time we recognize and treat this as the epidemic that it is?
For the sake of our daughter Cady and the some 6000 deaths caused by distracted drivers each year, start giving all of your attention to driving our vehicle safely. Your life and other driver’s is more important than any call, text or any other distraction. Distracted drving ends when we all stand together, an alliance of teens and adults, and say “I will do my part to not drive distracted because it’s the right thing to do.
To donate C.A.R. and help us continue the mission, go to our home page and click the “Donate” button.
