The Lutzie 43 Foundation’s Prepared for Life (PFL) Scholarship not only represents the opportunity to further my academic and professional pursuits, but more importantly, the opportunity to save lives with its platform for sharing the utmost importance of distraction-free driving. As a Lutzie 43 Foundation ambassador, I am able to make a difference in the lives of others by showing them how to protect themselves, their fellow passengers, and their loved ones whenever driving or riding in a car. The consequences of distracted driving impact every person in the car, not just the driver, as shown through Philip Lutzenkirchen’s story. I feel honored to be a Prepared for Life Scholarship recipient as I can continue to advocate for the importance of distraction-free driving within my own community and the Lutzie 43 Foundation community.
Long before I earned the responsibility of driving, Philip Lutzenkirchen’s story and the importance of safe driving was engrained in me. My grandparents and Philip Lutzenkirchen’s parents are close friends and neighbors. Therefore, my mom, uncle, and Philip grew up knowing each other. Throughout Philip’s life, my family felt his kindness, generosity, and promise. Philip’s accident left a permanent impact on my family as a prime example of the tragedy and trauma caused by impaired driving. Despite not participating in the distracted driving itself, Philip’s choice of riding with a distracted driver and not wearing his seatbelt impacted the lives of himself, his family, and all those who knew him. Philip’s accident impacted me by instilling in me the importance of ensuring my own participation in safe driving and ensuring safe driving by all my family, friends, and those that I ride with. Philip’s legacy will continue through my personal dedication to advocating for and practicing distraction-free driving as well as through those that I, and other Lutzie 43 Foundation members, influence.
During the Prepared for Life Scholarship application process, my exploration of the 43 Key Seconds safe driving checklist and the Safeguarding Your Legacy greatly expanded and reinforced my understanding of the importance of ensuring distraction-free driving. The 43 Key Seconds safe driving checklist is very effective in having a memorable and quick system for ensuring safe driving. I find the most important aspect of the checklist to be keeping clear hands engaged on the steering wheel as the driver. By eating, drinking, texting, adjusting your music, or being on your cell phone, you are putting yourself, your passengers, and others on the road in grave danger. As the driver or passenger, you must ensure the passenger is handling anything in the car that must require your focus or hands to attend to. If you need to adjust or do something that requires your focus or hands as the driver, you must pull over and stop driving first. As a passenger, I have responded to drivers’ texts, helped with GPS navigation, and adjusted the car’s music. In order to drive safely and distraction-free, the driver must have clear hands and full focus on the road and driving. Additionally, the most meaningful part of the Safeguarding Your Legacy Curriculum was its lessons on the true meaning of the commitment each driver has made when making the decision to drive. The Safeguarding Your Legacy Curriculum teaches that at its core, a commitment is a serious promise to remain dedicated to an action and is binding until its goal is achieved. When being awarded a driver’s license or permit, you are making a promise and commitment to driving safely. The small timely sacrifice a driver has to make by driving slowly and dealing with distractions prior to starting the car is nothing compared to the detrimental effects of distracted driving. Through the 43 Key Seconds safe driving checklist and the Safeguarding Your Legacy Curriculum, the scholarship application process was greatly memorable and helpful in teaching the necessity and responsibilities for ensuring distraction-free and safe driving as a driver and passenger.
The most effective way to minimize distracted driving and its tragedies is through spreading awareness and resonating with drivers the true negative impact it can have and the simplicity of avoiding it. The Lutzie 43 Foundation effectively utilizes this method by traveling, speaking, and sharing Philip’s and many others’ stories with distracted driving across social media, schools, and events nationally. In the United States alone, distracted driving causes over 3,200 deaths per year. All of these deaths are preventable by simply following the 43 Key Seconds safe driving checklist yourself and holding others accountable to following it as well. As a Lutzie 43 Foundation ambassador and Prepared for Life Scholarship recipient, I eagerly await the opportunity to continue spreading Philip Lutzenkirchen’s story, the importance of distraction-free driving, and saving lives. As an incoming biology major at the University of Georgia, I will share the Lutzie 43 Foundation’s message and advocate for safe driving on the Lutzie 43 Foundation platforms, the University of Georgia’s campus, and to all my friends and family within my college and hometown, which is Knoxville, Tennessee. I look forward to starting my advocacy by teaching my brother the 43 Key Seconds Safe Driving Checklist, as he earns his learner’s permit this summer. Further, as a future physician, I will share Philip’s story with patients to emphasize the impact of distracted driving to prevent injury. After learning to drive with Philip in mind, it is a true honor to carry on his legacy and advocate for the importance of distraction-free driving as a Prepared for Life scholarship recipient and Lutzie 43 Foundation ambassador.