It's Been A Year. Are You Still Thinking?
Hey Friends! Thanks for joining us today while we chat about something that means a lot to us here at Gem Steady....
If you have been hanging with us for a while then you probably remember that this time last year we went through something pretty crazy ...but if you're new to the Steady Tribe and have no idea what I'm talking about then I'll fill you in right now...
On October 21st, 2015 my husband (AKA The Whittle Master) was on his way to our jewelry studio in Cincinnati, OH to finish up an engagement ring. I had kissed him goodbye on our front porch around 10:00pm, watched him hop on his motorcycle and ride off into the night.... I remember very distinctly that I was laying on our bed flipping through a magazine when I received a phone call from an unfamiliar number not much later. I answered, and knew immediately that something really bad had happened after the voice on the other end identified himself as the local police.
My husband had been hit by a car that ran full speed through a red light not two blocks from where we live.
He spent the next couple of weeks in the hospital, and the months following going through a handful of operations to fix a bevy of injuries including, quite literally, being screwed back together to mend a broken pelvis, a skin graft, a bone graft in his right leg, and various other procedures.
It's been a long road of recovery, but we are so thankful it wasn't as bad as it could've been.
I'm telling you guys all of this not for sympathy (we're doing great), but because this incident was completely avoidable.
In the weeks following the accident last year I was inspired to start the THINK campaign to encourage and Inspire folks to put distractions away and #THINKandDrive. The THINK bracelets were a massive success and allowed us to turn a terrible situation into something positive. I recently received a message from a client telling me that she still wears her THINK bracelet every day and it truly has helped remind her on a daily basis to that nothing is more important than being safe and attentive behind the wheel.
I too still wear my THINK bracelet every day. Every time I leave the house I make sure I have one on my left wrist so that I am constantly reminded of my responsibility to myself, my passengers, and everyone I share the road with. This wasn't just a one time fad. I've made the #THINKandDrive way of life a full-time gig.
Did you know that 1 in 4 car accidents in the United States are caused by texting and driving?
And did you also know that texting and driving is NUMBER ONE leading cause of death in teenagers? THAT IS INSAAAANE!!!! Texting isn't the only villain in the world of distractions though... eating, searching for directions or using GPS, grooming, and messing with your iPod or radio are all to blame as well. We may never know for certain what exactly was distracting the driver that night when she ran the light and barreled into my husband, but we do know that operating her SUV didn't have her full attention.
SO. What can you do to help prevent at least one of the 421,000 accidents a year caused by distracted driving? Start by making a commitment to yourself to #THINKandDrive, and encourage those you love to do the same. Especially share our story with all the teenage drivers in your life and remind them that they have a huge responsibility to themselves and everyone on the road, and that they are most definitely NOT invincible.
Because this month marks one year since we experienced 'the accident', we are relaunching the THINK campaign and making our entire collection of THINK bracelets available through the holidays. Each bracelet comes with a tips sheet on avoiding distractions that can be displayed on your dash or in your wallet as a constant reminder.
Our hope is to help as many folks as possible to THINK by wearing these bracelets as a visual reminder when they put they're hands on the wheel. Distracted driving is one of the easiest things to prevent that could literally save your life (or a $500k hospital bill).
Make a promise to yourself right now to put distractions away and #THINKandDrive. Click this link right here to shop our THINK bracelet collection, and please share this post on social media to help us reach and inspire a wider audience <3