Mosaics' Blog

My son's school started today, although it's just a half day and a party. He's in 11th grade now and it's his first time to drive himself. Eeek! I've dreaded this day.Last Sunday night we had a teenager die in our neighborhood. The driver was a 16 y.o. who just got his license the week before. His 15 y.o. friend was on the passenger side and a 14 y.o. boy was in the back.The main road coming into our neighborhood is two lanes both ways. As it passes our cul-de-sac it runs N/S and traveling north it makes a wide curve to the west. I think there have been about four wrecks there because people speed down that road even though the limit is 30 mph.Well, the 16 y.o. was traveling north, speeding and lost control as he entered the curve. He hit the curb on the west side of the street, bounced off, shot across and mowed down the sign that warns of a stop sign ahead, then hit a tree. If the tree hadn't been there, he would have ended up inside a house. The 15 y.o. died at the scene, the 14 y.o. was injured and careflighted out, the driver had a head wound but was able to get out of the car on his own.My heart just breaks for those families. I keep thinking about how they got the phone call most dreaded by every parent. And I think about the poor 16 y.o. driver who has to live with the fact that he killed his young friend because of a moment of foolish bravado. And the police are considering pressing charges against him. His life is forever changed, as are the lives of the family whose son died.Our rules for new drivers in TX are that they cannot have more than one teenager in the car with them. He broke that rule, in addition to speeding. I've made sure that my son knows every detail that I can get about that accident. Hopefully, it will serve as a warning for him.But for the grace of God, go I.