In Oregon, discussions about distracted driving often focus on a young woman named Alexxyss Therwhanger. Since the state has some of the strictest distracted driving laws in the country, you may find yourself wondering who she was and what impact she has had. It’s time to take a closer look.
Alexxyss was a 19-year-old girl who lived in eastern Oregon. In 2016, she got in her car, simply intending to head home. On the way, however, she got her cellphone out and began to use it while she drove.
Tragically, that distraction caused her to lose control. Her vehicle ended up in the path of an oncoming car, and the two slammed into one another in a devastating accident. Two people in that car suffered serious injuries. Alexxyss was killed in the crash. She was about a month away from turning 20, a birthday she would never see.
This case has become incredibly important since the state police and the Oregon Department of Transportation teamed up to use it to raise awareness. They made a PSA to let other young drivers know what could happen. They even saved the destroyed car in a trailer, which can be moved around so that others can see the very real ramifications of distracted driving. It’s one thing to be told that it is dangerous. It is quite another to see what that can do to a car — and to the people inside of it.
This story has helped reduce distracted driving, but it still happens. Those who get injured need to know if they have a right to compensation.