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SALT LAKE CITY — The Hancock family was heading to a Pioneer Day barbecue in Tooele when a drunken driver struck their vehicle, sending them spinning on state Route 73. The father's first response was to call out to his children.
"I remember my boys responding and answering me," David Hancock said. "Katie didn't respond. She was slumped over the dashboard, and I looked at her, and I knew at that point she was gone."
That was more than a year ago, but Hancock said he experiences continual grief and pain from the loss of his 15-year-old daughter. What makes her death even more tragic, Hancock said, is that the crash was preventable.
"The person who decided to drink and drive that day made a terrible mistake that cost the life of my daughter."
"The message that we have that we would like to tell everyone is never, ever, ever drive impaired," Hancock said. "If you've taken medication, if you've taken drugs, if you're distracted, don't be behind the wheel."
Katie Hancock was one of 29 teens who died on Utah roads in 2014. The Utah Department of Health and Utah Department of Transportation included her story in their annual memorial book, "We'll Never Forget," which honors 10 teens who lost their lives.
Each year state and local agencies and driver education classes use the most recent edition of the book to teach young drivers about driving safety.
Teen motor vehicle fatalities have decreased by 65 percent since 1999. Deputy Director Shane Marshall attributed most of the decrease to Graduated Driver License laws and the memorial book program.
"I truly believe that zero (fatalities) is an attainable goal," Marshall said. "My hope is one day we don't have to publish a book like this."
Wednesday families of the teens gathered at the health department building to commemorate their loved ones and encourage others to drive safely and buckle up.
Kelly Wilkinson said her grandson, Joe Martinez, loved to serve, so it is fitting that even after his death, his story will help others by inspiring them to use safety precautions.
Martinez, 16, was riding his skateboard in November last year when he was knocked over by a truck driver who then left the scene. Shortly after, another car came by and ran over him, Wilkinson said. If the truck driver would have called 911, Wilkinson said her grandson might still be alive.
Casey Wilkinson, Martinez's mother, said her son was wearing dark clothes that night, making him hard to spot. He was also using ear buds, she said, inhibiting him from hearing oncoming traffic.
Both Wilkinsons now keep portable lights in their cars. When they see teenagers biking or skateboarding in the dark, they pull over and give them a light to keep, Casey Wilkinson said.
Casey Wilkinson also stops to inform teens about the danger of wearing ear buds while biking and skateboarding, she said.
Angie Child, mother of Angel Stringfellow, who died in a rollover crash on I-15, said there's a good reason parents nag kids about safety.
"We really want what's best for you. It's not just lectures. It's not controlling ways," Child said. "The truth is that kids don't always see what is happening. They don't realize something bad could happen."
Stringfellow, 19, was travelling to Dixie State University with a friend when one of the car tires blew out, Child said. Stringfellow's car went down an embankment and rolled, ejecting both girls, she said. Neither of them were wearing seat belts.
"I don't want any more kids to have to go through this. I don't want their families to have to hurt like this," Child said. "One simple decision to put on a seat belt could have saved my daughter's life, and it will save yours."
Tori Jorgensen is a Deseret News intern and current communications major at Southern Utah University. Find her on Twitter @TORIAjorgensen. Email: vjorgensen@deseretnews.com.
