RICHMOND, Ky (LEX 18) — A Kentucky mother who lost her son in a suspected distracted driving crash is working to prevent other families from experiencing the same tragedy by offering free driving courses to local teens.
Lindsey Brown lost her son, Tristan, in July when police believe a distracted driver hit the vehicle he was in. Now, she's channeling her grief into action through the Tristan Project, partnering with Exodus Driver Training to offer two free courses to teenagers who might not otherwise be able to afford the program.
"I want to help make a difference in Kentucky with that, and with the basic driver's ed at Exodus Driver Training, that's a start on how we can help," Brown said.
The driving academy offers comprehensive training, from commercial licenses for aspiring truckers to valuable lessons for teenagers using advanced driving simulators. The simulators recreate different weather and road conditions while demonstrating the dangers of distracted driving.
"In the simulator, there's a part where a cell phone that will actually pop up on the screen. And it will tell the student to send a text," Paul King said.
King, who owns Exodus and serves as head driving trainer, demonstrated the simulator's impact on a teenager. After the teen completed a test with a 99% score, King had him drive with the texting simulation activated. Within seconds, the student swerved out of his lane, clipped a parked car, and slammed the brakes to avoid further damage.
Kentucky holds the troubling distinction of ranking number one in the nation for teen traffic fatalities for four consecutive years, according to King. While not all accidents result from distracted driving, many do.
"It takes two seconds to take your eyes off the road, and an accident can happen," Brown said.
Brown launched the Tristan Project shortly after her son's death this summer. While criminal charges remain pending in her son's case — with a conclusion potentially months or years away — she's focusing her energy on prevention.
"We're surviving one day at a time. Just praying for justice for Tristan," Brown said.
The grieving mother hopes her partnership with the driving school will help at least one local family avoid a similar tragedy.
"There is no amount of money that is worth a child's life," Brown said. "I would never want this to happen to another mother. I know it's a stretch to say that (because) it's inevitable. With the basic driver's ed and Exodus Driver Training, it's a start on how we can help."
*For information on how to enter your child’s name into the hat for the free courses with Exodus Driver Training click here; Facebook
