Another death by adolescence

Three Killed, One in Coma
Charlotte, NC
July 27,2008
©Marcey J. Walsh 2008

Another death by adolescence. In Albemarle, NC, three are teens dead and one in a coma after a late night crash on a local highway. Their car struck a second vehicle in the side at an approximate speed of 85 mph in a 55 mph zone. Four more families grieve, another community pulls together for support and comfort and still no one has an answer for why it happened and how this "accident" could have been prevented.

More than 500 teens have died on the roads of NC over the past three years. As a mother myself, I ached for the parents and family of every one.

As someone who works with thousands of young people every year, I also struggled with my anger. Given what we have learned in the past five years about neurological development of the brain, the question is not if, but rather when and to whom this will happen next. These are intelligent kids, often at the top of their class. They end up in a losing situation because we, as a community didn't tell them what they need to know in a way they can understand and use to protect themselves.

This is tough, people. Since we know why this happened and how to help teens prevent it, can these really be called accidents? Just as someone needs to eventually tell every teen about sex and alcohol and drugs and the gritty reality of what's "out there." Someone needs to tell them about what's "in there."

• · Tell them that, although they are wonderful and brilliant, the risk assessment part of their brain isn't finished yet.

• · Tell them that young people have wonderful ideas, but that, although they look like adults, they have a dangerous decade ahead when they will make life changing decisions before they are "playing with a full deck."

• · Tell them that the truly brilliant among them will, as they grow and become independent; honor the brain they WILL have by tapping into the brains of older mentors before acting.

Telling this new information is important, but we also must model in every classroom, at every dinner table and in every situation one unchanging truth: that survivors look AND listen before leaping. Cars, drugs, smoking, alcohol - they have a lot to decide about and they count on us to give them the information they need.

We have learned so much, it's only fair to tell them. Accidents happen; tragedies don't have to.