March 27, 2008 Father of car crash victim promotes safe driving Play video

(NECN) - Nearly one year ago, four teenagers were killed after their car slammed into a tree. Police say speeding was the cause. Now, the father of one of the victims, is working to make sure a similar tragedy never happens.

NECN's Katie Daly has details.

Script:

Fighting back tears, James Butcher of Worcester, spoke about the death of his 18-year-old daughter Courtney.

“I’ll never be able to walk her down the aisle...I’ll never be able to hold a grandchild by her.”

Courtney was killed in a car accident last April along with 3 of her friends. The driver was going 80 miles an hour in a 30 mile an hour zone. Butcher says the driver was showing off when the car slammed into a tree in Leicester.

Butcher: “It brings home tragedy....that you are not lucky….that your family isn’t indestructible. It has been a tough year since then, we do the best we can and keep Courtney’s memory alive.”

Keeping her memory alive is Butcher's mission. He speaks at conferences like this one Wednesday at Natick District Court that promote safe driving. Several times a month, he talks to teenagers who have lost their license under Massachusetts’s Junior Operator laws.

Butcher: “I have suffered a loss and I tell them how it effects a family and relatives and friends. I think its pretty effective, just when I thought it wasn't effective I was shown letters from some of the kids and it makes an impact with them. That's what

Butcher believes that the state's get-tough approach is a step in the right direction - with an average of nearly 200 Bay State teenagers losing their license each week.

Wednesday, he helped kick off the Road Respect campaign. With over a million dollars, it will put more patrol officers on the roads to target aggressive drivers. For Butcher it is all worth it, if it can prevent one parent from feeling his pain.

“She was a great kid I miss her everyday.”

Tips from the Massachusetts Safe Driving Initiative:

Road Respect Tips:

Obey posted speed limits. Allow extra travel time for traffic and bad weather.

Always signal your intentions when turning or changing lanes. Avoid weaving in and out of lanes.

Don’t tailgate.

Never run yellow lights. Come to a full stop at red lights and stop signs. Don’t block intersections.

Let other drivers pass and merge as necessary.

On multi-lane highways, use the left lane for passing only.

Avoid distracted driving, especially if using a cell phone.

Refrain from unnecessary use of your horn.

Pay attention to the special needs of those who drive trucks and buses, ride motorcycles and bicycles, and pedestrians.

Wear your safety belt. It’s your best defense against an aggressive, distracted, or speeding driver.