DJ: Air on the side of safety

Kidd Kraddick

Two weeks ago, a good friend of mine lost his 20 year old son in a car accident. Alex was a joy to hang out with... friend to everyone, great son and brother, talented, smart...just a really good guy. I was with him and his family/friends as we stood vigil at the hospital and I cannot begin to describe the pain and grief that permeated that waiting room.

So many unanswerable questions come to mind while you're waiting and praying for someone. In this situation, the prevailing question was,"Why wasn't Alex wearing his seatbelt?" Alex ALWAYS wore his seatbelt.

No one could recall a single occasion where he didn't, but this time, he did not, and it cost him his life. We learned later that his destination was only a couple minutes from his house. It's likely that during that short drive, it flashed into his head to put it on but he probably said to himself,"I'm only going a mile..."

This will haunt me for a long time...the family, probably forever. To think that it may have been prevented or at least survived is a very hard pill to swallow.

I'm the last one to preach...I have been lackadaisical about the seat belt in the past. I've also been known to try to text while driving (or playing with the radio, GPS, etc.). This tragedy reminds me that it only takes a second to turn a simple oversight into an event that causes unbearable grief and pain. I never want to put people through that. I will be a much safer driver now and I hope you will too.

KHKS [Dallas]