GibsonSingleton Virginia Injury Attorneys has completed this year’s “Texts=Wrecks” campaign to reduce the number of people injured or killed by distracted drivers in Eastern Virginia by awarding a $1,000 scholarship to essay winner Glynncarynn Croxton, a 2019 Gloucester High School graduate.
Croxton defeated almost 800 other entrants in the national contest. She is the daughter of the Rev. Richard and Karen Croxton of Gloucester, and will attend the University of Virginia in the fall.
In her winning essay, Croxton wrote: “Human lives are too precious to become victims of ignorant and preventable decisions. If we are to ever correct this problem, our society must vow to do everything possible to ensure those getting behind the wheel are in full control. It starts with individuals taking responsibility for not only themselves, but those around them.”
“We applaud Glynnie’s winning essay and her goal of spreading outreach about distracted driving through high school and college programs,” GibsonSingleton partner Ken Gibson said.
Approximately 80 percent of crashes in Virginia are tied to distracted driving, according to AAA. On average, 11 teenagers die each day as a result, and texting while driving causes nearly 330,000 injuries each year in the United States, according to the National Safety Council.
“As personal injury attorneys, we regularly see clients who have been seriously hurt, or even have lost a loved one, due to someone who was driving while distracted,” Gibson said. “It’s become a heartbreaking epidemic in Virginia, like everywhere else, and we want to help stop it.”
“That’s why we do our Texts=Wrecks campaign,” partner Singleton said. “We remind people to stop distracted driving by using our billboard and signage, by reaching high school students around the country through our essay contest, and through using other tools on our website. We are proud of Glynnie Croxton for winning our national contest with an outstanding essay.”
Tips for everyone
Gibson and Singleton urge drivers to think about the lives that can be destroyed if you text while or drink alcohol before or during driving.
Singleton said, “We know that simply making people aware of a problem doesn’t solve it. Most people know that picking up a cellphone while driving is a bad idea; and yet the statistics say we’re still doing it. So, we also want to provide strategies to help people develop the habit of never texting and driving.”
Information about safe driving strategies, along with Croxton’s winning essay, can be found at GibsonSingleton.com, or by contacting GibsonSingleton’s community outreach director Beth Gibson at beth@gibsonsingleton.com or 804-413-6777.