You could hear a pin drop in Ulumbarra Theatre this afternoon, as all BSSC students attended a very important message focussed on road safety.
John Maher returned to the college to share his powerful story with students and staff.
The Maher family’s life changed forever at 8:08am on the 18th of November 1995, when John’s youngest daughter Carmen—just 18-years-old—passed away as the result of a car accident.
Carmen fell asleep at the wheel and her car hit a tree. She died instantly.
“A car crash is not just a car crash,” John told students. “It’s a life-changer—and, far too often, it’s a life-taker.”
This happened only two years after John was involved in his own car accident, when a young driver lost control of her vehicle and rolled into his car. John suffered extensive injuries and short-term memory loss.
John urged students to drop the ‘it’ll never happen to me’ mentality and to ensure they have much more experience on the road than the required 120 hours. He also stressed the importance of your role as the driver of a vehicle, as well as making smart choices as a passenger.
“You only have one life to live,” he said. “You gift your one and only life to a driver. You will live or die, depending on what this person does.”
John encouraged students to be safe on the roads and become responsible drivers and passengers so that tragedies like this don’t occur.
“I beg you all: never do this to the people that you love,” he said. “You’re the most important person in the world to them.”
For more information visit the Facebook page Carmen’s – road safety presentations.
