Help Memory Of Teens Killed In Crash Keep Others Safe

Published: May 9, 2008

The deaths of two Wesley Chapel High School students in a one-car crash on Interstate 75 this week is gut-wrenching for their families, friends and the community.

Two promising young women, close friends, have been lost less than a month before one of the biggest moments of their lives - graduation. No explanation will be enough to ease this enormous pain. And this type of tragedy is happening much too often, especially at Wesley Chapel High School the past few years.

But the memories of Kristin Gaskin and Tabitha Pastrana can live in a simple yet powerful way: Think of them every time you get into a vehicle; put on seat belts and be a little bit more careful.

This isn't to suggest that Tabitha, who was driving, did something wrong. The cause of the crash wasn't immediately determined.

A Florida Highway Patrol spokesman said that, based upon evidence at the scene and statements of other motorists, Tabitha was passing traffic in the passing lane while traveling north when she lost control, overcorrected and ran off the road. Her vehicle crashed into trees. No speed estimate has been given.

Tabitha wasn't wearing a seat belt. Kristin had her seat belt on, according to the highway patrol.

Something like this can happen on the highway at any time and in a split second - no matter the age of the driver. But it provides yet another reason to be more careful and pay more attention while behind the wheel, especially for young, inexperienced drivers who can be distracted.

Parents do have some options to help protect their young motorists. "How's my driving" services are available to help parents evaluate how their children are driving, and global position tracking is another possibility.

Some companies also sell devices similar to black boxes on airplanes. These devices are mounted under the dash and set to monitor speed, fast acceleration and extreme braking. Limits can be set. For example, if a driver exceeds a certain speed, an alarm goes off in the vehicle. Parents can use this data to learn a lot about how their young drivers are performing.

And when looking for vehicles for their children, parents can seek ones without fancy gadgets, such as video systems, that can be distracting.

That Tabitha and Kristin lost their lives on the interstate also shouldn't be forgotten. The interstate can be dangerous, with speeding a temptation. It wouldn't be a bad idea to encourage young drivers to take other routes until they are more experienced - if other roads are available to get to their destinations.

This is an extremely sad time for the Wesley Chapel High community. But it does provide a teachable moment, not only for parents but for educators. It needs to be taken advantage of in memory of Tabitha and Kristin.