Summit in Oxford focuses on safe driving for teens

Oct. 28—OXFORD — More than 200 student leaders from nine high schools in north Alabama assembled at Oxford Civic Center Thursday to hear firsthand stories of the permanent pain that can result from carelessness behind the wheel of a vehicle.

The Teen Driving Safety Summit presented safety principles featured in the URKEYS2DRV (Your Keys to Drive) program to students representing schools in Calhoun, Cleburne, St. Clair, Talladega and Jefferson counties.

They heard keynote speaker Mike Lutzenkirchen, the father of the well-known Auburn University player, Phillip, who died in a car wreck in the summer of 2014 involving him and other four college students. One other student was killed and two were injured.

Lutzenkirchen told about his son's poor decision-making when he and other Auburn students met at a farm to celebrate an outstanding year. After a day of drinking, eating and riding horses, they were headed to Gulf Shores when the car flipped multiple times.

"My wife, two of my daughters and I learned about my son's death when we arrived home and found a sticky note on the front door," Lutzenkirchen said.

Then, he described the pain the family endured, and he encouraged the students not to end their lives nor to cause trauma to those who loved them.

"Be available, have tenderness and have courage," he told the students. "I want to tell you that people love you, and they want to protect you."

The Lutzenkirchen family, including Phillip's mother and three sisters, started the Lutzie 43 Foundation. The number 43 was Phillip's football number. He was an outstanding tight end and an All-American who helped Auburn win the 2010 national championship. In addition, Lutzenkirchen said his son was academically successful and known for his outstanding character and kindness to others.

A video played before the father spoke included words of praise from former Auburn coaches Pat Dye and Gus Malzahn, as well as Lutzenkirchen family members and others who described Phillip's personality and influence for good.

"He was a third draft pick for the NFL," Lutzenkirchen said. "He would have started out making a million dollars."

A senior from Cleburne County High School who attended the presentation, Shane Bentley, said the message was a little emotional but not overly emotional.

"His message is great," Bentley said. "In Cleburne County recently, we've had a few accidents, not major, but we all need to be safer drivers."

After the keynote address and two videos, the students were divided into four groups and rotated among the four breakout sessions. There they took part in activities and heard lectures on the topics of what it is like to drive impaired, experiencing the trauma of being in an emergency room, how to make good choices, taking part in a game show-type setting where students were quizzed about their driving habits and the importance of having insurance.

In the Children's of Alabama room, the students watched actors talking as a young person was wheeled into a make-believe emergency room. In the gymnasium of the civic center, some students were told to walk a straight line and then re-walk it wearing goggles that simulated a driver's vision while being drunk.

"I'm going to fall down," said Caiden Bullard, who was struggling to stay upright.

In another room, Laura Liveoak of Jemison spoke to the students about her daughter, Marlene Hayes, a nurse who died at age 29 after being struck by a drunk driver.

Before the session, she said she could think of no better way to spend her time than honoring her daughter by telling her story.

"She never had a chance to get married or have kids," Liveoak said with tears in her eyes.

Allison Green, from ALDOT, said the agency has found that car accidents are the second leading cause of death in teens.

"We are here today to share how to stay safe and not to be a part of that statistic," Green said.

The leading sponsor for the event was the insurance company, State Farm. Other sponsors, in addition to the ones that sponsored breakout sessions, were Drive Safe Alabama and SafeKids of Alabama.

Oxford High School representatives viewed the presentation Thursday. Today, the program's directors will speak at Anniston and Piedmont high schools, and the students will hear speakers from the ABC Board, Children's of Alabama, Alabama State Festivals & Foundation and the Alabama Department of Transportation.