Miss Illinois drives safety home

PERU — Distracted driving kills more than 7,000 teens per year, and Miss Illinois, Hannah Smith, is using her fame and title to educate them about the dangers.

“Every time you get behind the wheel of a car. I’m not with you. You’re parents aren’t with you,” Smith said. “It’s your decision.”

Smith visited St. Bede Academy and LaSalle-Peru Township High School on Thursday as part of a “Distracted Driving ... FOCUS,” in partnership with State Farm Insurance.

“Throughout her reign, Miss Illinois will travel the state, working collaboratively with State Farm, speaking to high school students on the importance of safe driving,” St. Bede Principal Michelle Mershon said.

Smith said that when speaking about distracted driving, they are always considered collisions and not accidents because they are 100 percent preventable. Distracted driving is the No. 1 cause of death among teens and is a factor in 80 percent of traffic collisions. It accounts for 500,000 injuies per year.

“I was very shocked to see that,” Smith said.

Smith grew up in Huntley and knows the impact distracted driving can have on teens and the community. She’s experienced the hazards of distracted driving and the impact a death has on family, friends and the community.

Smith went over the causes of distracted driving, such as conversations in the car, loud music, disruptive younger siblings, texting, using cell phones, turning your head to talk to another passenger, applying makeup or shaving while driving, eating, holding hands and driving while tired. Texting while driving is illegal in the state of Illinois. Smith said texting takes your eyes off the road for three to six seconds, and anything can happen in that amount of time.

“You wouldn’t drive with your eyes shut,” Smith said. “When you are texting, that’s three to six seconds your eyes aren’t on the road.”

To drive the point home, Smith showed a video about Greg and Steven Arends. Twins that, while seniors in high school, were involved in a serious traffic collision where Greg died and Steven was left in a coma. He eventually came out of the coma but has several speech and physical problems as a result of the accident.