Reagan graduate killed in crash (Howe: insurance, condo, school)

[sinsativ]

This story, about a 19 yr old that was driving yesterday morning and lost control of his vehicle. Really bothers me.

Reading it, one begins to feel sorry for the driver, and then the media glamorizes all the details, almost begging people to believe that none of this was his fault. don't get me wrong, Im sorry the young man had a car wreck and killed himself. But reading the story, one gets lost in the way its written.
The car collided with a fire hydrant, then overcorrecting it hit a utility pole.

The story should be about the death of an inexperienced driver, speeding, losing control, and then causing his own death.

Im just curious, how many believe and understand this the way I do. They took all personal responsibility for him causing the wreck away and made it sound like an unavoicable accident, when it should be a lesson, don't speed, get better experience. Instead of the school saying, lets have a vigil, and everyone offer condolences, they should be using it as a platform to educate other young drivers.
IMO...sorry if it offends, but we seem to take all personal responsibility away from people that make bad decisions and then suffer the consequences.

[badalchemist]

They're having a vigil because it's a sad story. That being said, I'm not sure how one manages to lose control of their vehicle on a surface street to the extent that they die from it. It makes me wonder if he wasn't speeding/texting/etc.

[kevcrawford]

Honestly, there shouldn't be a spin on it at all. News is news. They should print the facts and that's it. Let the reader make up their mind and analyze it.

Unfortunately, that's a lost art in today's media. If they're not influencing the way you think, they're doing it wrong.

[majormadmax]

I agree, I saw it on the news while standing in line at TWC. It is a tragedy, but one that could have been easily avoided. From the news article...

According to an accident report, Cabrera, 19, apparently was speeding east on Sonterra Boulevard at Sigma Road about 6 a.m. in his Ford Focus when he clipped another vehicle. The Focus swerved left across the road and then right as Cabrera overcorrected.

After striking a hydrant, the Focus hit a light pole on the driver's side, crushing the front of the car and causing it to flip onto its left side.

Speed and inexperience behind the wheel led to this young man's demise. I know that road he was on, and it is not one where a loss of control at speed can be easily recovered from even by a seasoned driver. We can only be thankful that no one else was involved in the accident.

It is sad that he appeared to be such an inspiration to others, but as a parent teaching a 15-yr-old who recently got his learner's permit, I can only hope that his poor decisions while driving might serve as a wake-up call to other drivers his age. It is a serious matter being behind the wheel of a vehicle, and every effort should be on driving safely.

That said, my condolences to his family and friends. Such a loss is always tragic, no matter what the circumstances.

Cheers! M2

[Chaka]

Originally Posted by sinsativ

Im just curious, how many believe and understand this the way I do. They took all personal responsibility for him causing the wreck away and made it sound like an unavoicable accident, when it should be a lesson, don't speed, get better experience. Instead of the school saying, lets have a vigil, and everyone offer condolences, they should be using it as a platform to educate other young drivers.

I don't have much opinion on the news article itself. I'm also a big believer in personal responsibility, so am not excusing speeding.

However, with respect to the vigil, I think it's important to separate the two events. Yes, there is a lesson to be given, but let those who cared for him mourn first. And then, separately, when the rawness of the tragedy is less intense, focus on the lesson to learn. The people who cared about him deserve
the right to experience and share their grief without any blame or morality lessons. Those can come, but not immediately.

I say this as I see our own school deal with a tragedy (which fortunately is not as bad as it could have been). The lessons to be learned, the opportunity to educate our students is ripe, but to do so immediately, tied into this tragedy, prevents those who experienced it to deal with it in their own way.

And, FWIW, my own family suffered a tragedy some years ago, as the result of a stupid decision by the individual. His funeral and vigil were a place for friends and family to grieve and mourn, even though, in time, most of us became what might be described as spokespeople against such actions. Had someone used his funeral as a platform to blast his actions, it would only create hurt and anger, not lessons learned.

[pobre]

Originally Posted by sinsativ

Instead of the school saying, lets have a vigil, and everyone offer condolences, they should be using it as a platform to educate other young drivers.

FWIW, the school did not call for, organize, or hold the vigil, the students did. The students made a request for, and the administration granted permission to hold the vigil on school grounds last night at 8:00. This was not to glamorize anything about the accident, but to remember a fellow student.

Keep in mind this happened early in the morning on the very street that most take to get to Reagan. Some, undoubtedly, saw the wreckage.

Many Reagan students, including my son, were saddened and shaken by this incident. Personally, I am using it as a teaching opportunity.

Pause and remember first, teach later.

[Lotheron]

Unfortunately from my window at work you could see everything during the aftermath of the accident. That corner of Sonterra and Sigma is but 100 or so feet from my office, in plain view. If he had hit the hydrant two feet in either direction, it might not have ended the way it did...., unfortunately as such the car hit it in the spot it did.. He was young and dumb and he got unlucky. I feel bad for him.

The accident should serve as a warning that while we're all a bit more stupid when we're young, myself included, not everyone is so lucky to make it past this stage of life.

I'm more saddened for the grieving family/friends. As I said, that corner is in plain view from my window at work and its been tough to see all the people grieve these past few days, including what appeared to have been his closest family absolutely distraught, barefoot, and inconsolable. My prayers go out to them the most.

[goodmanm]

Originally Posted by Chaka

I say this as I see our own school deal with a tragedy (which fortunately is not as bad as it could have been). The lessons to be learned, the opportunity to educate our students is ripe, but to do so immediately, tied into this tragedy, prevents those who experienced it to deal with it in their own way.

I think it's better to address a serious issue like this 'in the moment'. I don't think it's necessarily a school responsibility, but one that we as parents are better in tune with our kids should take care of. It should in no way diminish the young man in any way, he was a son, brother, and friend for many I'm sure. Personally I don't care if the conversation hurts, if it can save someone's life by presenting it as something you shouldn't be doing then I'm gonna do it.

A vigil is a nice way of remembering someone, the 'lesson' might be done privately at a separate time.

When I was 17 a friend of mine was killed in a car accident (passenger in a speeding vehicle). He wasn't wearing a seat belt and was thrown from the vehicle and crushed by it. He died a slow, painful death, which my other friends in the car witnessed. It pains them to this day. I wouldn't wish that on anyone.

[Chaka]

Originally Posted by goodmanm

I think it's better to address a serious issue like this 'in the moment'. I don't think it's necessarily a school responsibility, but one that we as parents are better in tune with our kids should take care of. It should in no way diminish the young man in any way, he was a son, brother, and friend for many I'm sure. Personally I don't care if the conversation hurts, if it can save someone's life by presenting it as something you shouldn't be doing then I'm gonna do it.

A vigil is a nice way of remembering someone, the 'lesson' might be done privately at a separate time.
.

That was exactly my point. do it separately. Private or public is fine, but separately from the vigil. Let the kids mourn their loss without demonizing the deceased.

[Merovee]

I partially agree with Chaka's view (can't rep).

This was a human interest story. We will all have preferences but if the news had to choose just one angle I prefer this one. It gives hope to show that others care and come together. The other angle seems more as a way to complain, chastise, and scare. The very type of sensationalism that we need less of. That also would have been less respectful to family and friends. Kudos to EN.

Also the part of the brain that analyzes risk is not fully formed until around the age of 25 which is why vehicle insurance is more expensive until then. No, he was not fully responsible as someone over age 25 would be and to hold someone that young accountable to the same degree as if he was over that age is an unrealistic expectation. It is understandable many would disagree only using ordinary wisdom that is uninformed by science.

Teenagers are three to four times more likely to die during those years than at any other point past infancy, until they become elderly....

...What may appear to be bad judgment or selfishness may really be an inability of their incompletely formed brains to think before they act.

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/...-teenagers-die

There are solutions such as speed regulators, driving with your teen until you are satisfied they can drive decently which is not a guarantee they will do so alone or with friends but at least they will know how to drive properly if they choose, and just understanding they are more at risk due to an immature mind and compensating with heavy doses of information beyond what Driver's Ed teaches or what the DPS drivers license test requires.