Everyone knows the dangers of texting while driving, but the parents of a recently deceased young man in Colorado are hoping this picture will serve as a stark warning about the potential consequences.
22-year old student Alexander Heit was killed in a car accident just north of Denver earlier this month after his car drifted into oncoming traffic, causing him to jerk the steering wheel, veer off the road and roll his vehicle in an accident which ultimately proved fatal.
Since the accident, his parents and the Police Department in Greeley, Colorado have released a photo of a text message Heit had been sending on his iPhone immediately prior to the crash which ended abruptly in mid-sentence.
The name of the recipient of the text message has been withheld by the police to protect their identity, while Heit’s parents are hoping that the publication of the picture will convince others of the dangers of texting while driving.
According to Associated Press, witnesses told police that Heit appeared to have his head down when he began drifting into the oncoming lane in the outskirts of Greeley, where the University of Northern Colorado is located.
The police believe that an oncoming driver slowed and moved over just before Heit looked up and jerked the steering wheel.
While every driver will profess to knowing the dangers of texting, talking and indeed using their phone for any purpose while driving, many will still adopt a careless attitude behind the wheel but hopefully, as the parents of Alexander Heit intended, this will serve as a chilling reminder of the dangerous and potentially fatal consequences.
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