
I've been shopping for cars lately, since my Chevy Metro seems to be going the way of all flesh. And I have been asking Hannah her opinion about certain cars as I look at them. It is because in a little more than 2 years she will be eligible for her learner's permit, which will open a new chapter in our lives. And stories like this one terrify me. I was a teen driver once, and I don't know how my parents made it through that time.
I try to talk with the kids about the decision-making process that teens go through. I would prefer for her to have a 2-seat car because I believe that the propensity to do something stupid is directly related to the number of people in the vehicle. The more, the dumber, at least that was my experience as a teen. We would come up with plans in a group that would have never occurred to me alone, or me with one of my friends. And the grace of God sustained us. I pray that some of these conversations will stick with them in ways that will prevent something like this from happening.
Pray for these families. I cannot imagine the pain they are feeling right now.