Lutzie 43 Foundation brings safe driving event to Lowndes High

Feb. 12—VALDOSTA — Many Lowndes High School students took a break from classes to participate in a Safe Driving Summit Feb. 6, sponsored by the Georgia Department of Transportation in partnership with the Lutzie 43 Foundation.

The summit reached over 900 students, with many further participating in breakout sessions focused on making the students safer on the road. The day began with a keynote presentation, introducing the students to the themes they would be exposed to during the event.

The opening keynote consisted of a presentation by Mike Lutzenkirchen, executive director of the Lutzie 43 Foundation. Lutzenkirchen started the foundation in memory of his son, Philip Lutzenkirchen, after he died in 2014. Partnering with the Georgia Department of Transportation in 2022, the foundation has been able to educate schools throughout Georgia.

Lutzenkirchen believes that education and his son's story can make a real difference, stating, "We use Philip's story and his life to help these kids think about their decisions."

On stage, Lutzenkirchen told the harrowing story of the day his family returned home to find a sticky note with a phone number on their door. Calling the number would reveal to the family that Philip had passed away in an automobile accident. At the end of his segment, Lutzenkirchen emotionally pleaded for the crowd to be smarter and think about the futures they could have.

Next on stage was a question and answer segment hosted by Katina Lear from the Department of Transportation. The crowd welcomed Jacee Thomas, a car crash survivor living with a traumatic brain injury, and her mother, Beth Ann Thomas.

Jacee was hit by a train while trying to cross a railroad track. Her mother and medical professionals were surprised to see she sustained relatively little outside injuries. However, Jacee would not wake up for a long time, and her life was completely different when she did.

The brain injury affected her movement and speech. It made her unable to see friends and participate in her passion, the rodeo.

Through hard work in therapy and dedication to getting her independence back, Jacee has succeeded in going back to the rodeo and being back on top of a horse. Through the support of her family and friends at the rodeo, Jacee emitted nothing but confidence on the stage.

The last presentation of the opening keynote was a rundown of what happens on the scene of an accident from first responders and the Department of Transportation. The presentation showed the speed and importance of the communities' responders, from firefighters to the tow trucks.

After the end of the keynote, most of the students were released back to their classes. Those who remained were divided into four groups to participate in various breakout activities around the school.

The first group was sent outside to the gym, where two massive freight trucks were parked. In this breakout session, the instructor showed the students the dangers of careless driving around freight trucks. The instructor would focus on the blindspots of such massive vehicles and how to respect their presence on the road.

The second group stayed in the Performing Arts Center, where they would get to know the law enforcement officers further. Maurice Raines with the Georgia State Patrol showed off a cellphone, which he said he "hated it," explaining that the phone gets sent a notification of every death on the interstate. Raines reinforced the message by reading out some names.

The last two groups showcased what happens to a crash victim in the hospital and what injuries they can sustain. In the band room, medical professionals walked the students through internal and brain injuries a victim might sustain, answering questions some may had about what happened to Jacee Thomas. Students in the auxiliary gym focused on the process of getting a crash victim to the hospital and immediate treatment.

Faculty and students alike rallied behind the summit and the breakout sessions.

"Having the Lutzie 43 Foundation present the Safe Driving Summit at Lowndes High School is a life-changing experience for the more than 900 students who are in attendance today," said Lowndes High School Assistant Principal Krista Pearson.

At the end of the summit, students said they felt more prepared and confident behind the wheel, taking many lessons home with them. For student Sydney Rothas, the summit opened their eyes to the dangers of the road.

"To see how a split-second decision could change how my parent's life is, I can't even describe that," Rothas said.

When asked if the summit will change any existing driving tendencies, fellow student Parker Jones stated, "Yes, every now and then I'll look down at my radio, but now I don't want to waste that time and risk that."

In the closing remarks, Lutzenkirchen addressed the students one last time about being prepared when entering their vehicle. He encouraged the students to take the lessons home and spread the awareness. Before leaving, Lutzenkirchen raised the possibility of returning to Lowndes High School for another summit to reach more and hopefully save more lives.