Tragedy spurs mother to teach
Altoona native forms foundation to help teenage drivers after daughter’s deathBy Kay Stephens, kstephens@altoonamirror.com
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Fact Box
Thompson file
* Name: Robin Thompson
* Address: Fairfax, Va.; formerly of Altoona
* Family: Son, Brian, lives in Atlanta and works as a lawyer for the Environmental Protection Agency; parents, Angie and Ralph Hildebrand, Pleasant Valley; brother, Bryson Hildebrand and wife, Andrea, Hollidaysburg; grandmother, Sara Peroni, 92, Pleasant Valley
An Altoona native whose 16-year-old daughter died in a one-vehicle crash six years ago has a message for teen drivers and their parents: Inexperience and distractions are leading causes of teen driving fatalities.
"As a society, we've decided to let 16-year-olds drive, but we need to do a better job of developing and preparing them for driving," said Robin Thompson of Fairfax, Va.
Thompson, a 1972 graduate of Bishop Guilfoyle High School, created a foundation in memory of her daughter, Ashley Renee, with an educational component called the Art of Driving. The primary mission, she said, is to educate the public about teen drivers and the dangers associated with teen driving.
"If it can happen to Ashley, it can happen to anyone," Thompson said.
Ashley, a sophomore at Lake Braddock High School in Fairfax, Va., was a good student and gymnast. Her mom describes her as one of "those great teenagers every parent is proud to claim and every teacher wants in class."
On the day of her death, Ashley rode to school with a friend and then borrowed the friend's car to drive home when she had a free period. Three blocks from home, Ashley lost control of the vehicle.
"The police said that because of the markings, they know she swerved and that put the car into a skid," Thompson said. The vehicle hit a tree so hard that Ashley died on impact.
"All was lost in a matter of minutes," the mother states in on a Web site describing the Ashley Renee Thompson Memorial Foundation.
After the crash, police tried to piece together what happened. Through phone records, it was determined Ashley was not on a cell phone. Speed and alcohol were ruled out. No one was in the car to distract her, and she was familiar with the road. Thompson concluded that her daughter, as a new driver, lacked the driving skills to regain control.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety identifies inexperience and immaturity as significant factors in high crash rates of young drivers. Using data collected by the U.S. Department of Transportation, the organization concludes that a teenage driver's lack of experience makes it difficult for them to recognize and respond to hazards.
Thompson tries to illustrate that by using an example involving a four-way intersection, where there is a parked vehicle, and a pedestrian and a teen approaching a green light. She said the research shows teens go through the green light with no hesitation, but a mature driver would ease off the gas because they recognize the potential hazard.
Those are the kind of messages Thompson's program tries to drive home with teenagers, parents and others. She urges parents not to get caught up with the convenience of having a new driver in the family.
"So many parents say thank goodness that their teenagers can now drive themselves to where they need to be ... but parents need to step back and see what the risks are ... and some of those 16-year-old drivers need more [practice] time behind the wheel."
Thompson, a school nurse, used weekends, time off and summers to travel throughout Virginia to deliver her message to students, counselors and others. She also appeared on NBC's "Today" show.
This year, the Virginia Department of Transportation recognized the program by presenting Thompson with the Governor's Youth Traffic Safety Award.
"The judges were just really impressed with her ability to take something negative and turn it into something so positive," department spokeswoman Melanie Stokes said. "Also, the fact that [the program] can be integrated into any setting ... and tailored for use in so many different school divisions."
Thompson said she was pleased to receive the honor.
"But there's so much more work to do," Thompson said. "Ashley had a wonderful gift of seeing the positive in everybody and every situation ... so one way I can honor is her is to see something positive come from her death."
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countrygirl
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10-19-09 9:07 PM
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I think it is wonderful that this woman devotes so much of her time to help teen drivers and their families. It's easy to say that she doesn't make a difference. But I'm sure that there is at least one teenager out there who heard her speak, and when behind the wheel facing a potentially dangerous situation, remembered her words and made a good judgement which saved their life or someone else's. I'm sure she would agree that even that one life is worth her effort. Keep up the great work:)
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F16vipers
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10-19-09 3:30 PM
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Accidents happen. Obviously young people are at the greatest risk because of inexperience behind the wheel. It's up to every young driver to act responsibly and learn the rules of the road. More laws and restrictions aren't the answer. The government will never be able to solve problems as effectively as the individual can. If you have a young driver that's careless take away the keys. There are always going to be unfortunate accidents such as this one. No amount of driver training or restrictions will save everyone. That's life.
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rayrick
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10-19-09 12:45 PM
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Just a guess, Mocus, is that you knew everything there is to know the moment you sat your a** behind your first steering wheel? I doubt that. Where do we set the driving age ? 25? 30? My two children have been driving for 11 and 10 years. Neither one has been in an accident at fault or not. With time comes experience. The day you think you know it all is the day you realize that you dont. The only way to learn is to practice, thats why medicine and law are called "practices" We all have things to learn every day of our livea. Its just wonderful that you know everything already. Too bad this young person didn't have the chance to learn more.
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ART61003
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10-19-09 12:43 PM
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I guess I am glad to see that the story is generating comments. I am sorry that the entire story and my motives are not clear. Ashely was a good drivier and a responsible one. However, as most young new drivers, she had not developed the defensive driving skills that are needed when "something goes wrong". The police feel Ashley swerved to miss hitting something that ran out in front of her...possibly an animal. Wheh she did that she put the car into a skid...she did not know how to handle that situation. Skid control and off road recovery is not part of the usual driver education programs. All I am trying to do is to get teens and parents to see how easily this can and does happen. We loose 6,000 teens a year on our highways. It is not always reckless, irresponsible teens that this is happening to. It is mearly inexperience and many time distractions. I am not saying we need more tax dollars and I'm not blaming society. Please see the web site for complete understan
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RobFan
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10-19-09 12:36 PM
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It doesn't seem to me that this Mom is blaming anyone for her daughters death. She seems to understand why it happened and wants others to learn from her tragedy. I am all for more education for kids (they are KIDS at 16) behind the wheel. I bet if a kid that had little experience (you don't need very much experience to get a DL) harmed blogsniper, mocus or anyone else who thinks this woman is wasting her time behind the wheel they would think twice about more education.
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jetsy62
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10-19-09 11:34 AM
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I believe the mother states that she concluded her daughter lacked the driving skills to regain control. Pretty straight forward statement. Not much to read between the lines that I can see. 16 year olds can get their permit but must wait six months to take the test. This is at least hopefully getting them more time behind the wheel with an experienced driver. Just a mother trying to turn a horrifying experience into some positive, and maybe sparing another parent from having to knowing this heartache, but some can find sarcasm and alterior motives in anything.
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mocus1
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10-19-09 10:46 AM
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If somebody "lacks driving skills", then why are they driving? Would you go to a surgeon who "lacks surgery skills"? Yes, we know, more taxes and another driving program would solve the problem. Right.
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mocus1
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10-19-09 10:45 AM
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So it's our fault "as a society" that this woman's daughter was a reckless driver? Note the subtle deflections of responsibility "the car hit the tree so hard Ashley died". So it was the car's fault, and society's fault for not training her properly. Every excuse except the obvious: another idiot teenager not paying attention or driving recklessly. Nice try blaming others for your loss lady, but put the blame where it belongs.
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gandulf
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10-19-09 10:16 AM
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Blogsniper--Another one of your brilliant; thoughtful; and, highly literate comments regarding a story that has a tremendous amount of truth contained within it. This woman is doing something positive in memory of her daughter and all you can respond with is duh?
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