By Toni Garrard Clay/AISD Communications Specialist
Statistics aren’t exciting. Tell people that more than 100,000 accidents a year involve drivers who are texting, and that may give them pause. It probably won’t change behavior. For people to change their behavior, the message has to feel personal. It has to hit close to home. In some cases, it has to feel like someone’s life depends on it.
That’s where Chandler Gerber comes in. One morning in 2012, the Indiana native was texting back and forth with his wife as he drove down a long, straight stretch of highway toward the rising sun. He had just sent his wife a text: “I love you.” He leaned his head down to read the reply … and hit from behind a horse-drawn buggy carrying an Amish family. Three were killed.
“For weeks … I’d wake up and think, ‘Did I dream that accident? I’m just a guy, a young guy. … This couldn’t have happened.’” Gerber’s story is among those featured in the riveting documentary, “From One Second to the Next,” a film by Oscar-nominated director Werner Herzog. The 35-minute film is part of the “It Can Wait” campaign battling distracted driving. It can be viewed on YouTube.com and should be required watching for anyone with a driver’s license and a smartphone.
“The film is absolutely compelling,” said Dustin Bartee. “I was drawn most to Chandler’s story … and reached out to him on Facebook. I asked him to come to Athens to talk to people not only at our church, but at the high school.”
Bartee is the pastor of Eastern Hills Church of Christ in Athens, which is sponsoring Gerber’s trip to Athens. Gerber shares his story frequently (his appearances include the “Today Show”), hoping others will learn from his tragic mistake.
“I think he’s saying, ‘I’m willing to let you see the mistakes I’ve made. I’ve been there, and I wouldn’t wish it on my enemy,’” said Bartee.
The pastor, who recently spoke at Athens ISD’s beginning-of-the-year “Convocation” for teachers and staff, teamed up with Superintendent Blake Stiles to make sure Gerber has an audience in front of one of the key demographics for distracted driving: young drivers. According to the website OnlineSchools.com, 77 percent of young adults are very or somewhat confident they can safely text while driving. And yet teens who text and drive spend approximately 10 percent of their driving time outside their traffic lanes. Of course, it’s not a problem confined to young people. One in five drivers of all ages confesses to surfing the web while driving.
Bartee said on separate occasions, both he and his wife have nearly been struck by drivers whose attentions were on cell phones. “Just this morning, a young man was coming down the street toward me, in my lane, when he jerked over at the last minute,” said Bartee. “As he passed, I could see he had
his cell phone in front of him at the steering wheel.
“This is a problem that transcends age and gender. It’s not just teenage drivers. … We’re (bringing Gerber here to speak) not to get more people to our church, but as a way to serve the community. I really worry we’re going to see a devastating tragedy here because of this problem.”
“I wish so bad I could go back to that day and change my focus,” said Gerber in the film. “…There’s nothing that important. Please, please don’t ever do that. Don’t ever text and drive.”
Chandler Gerber will speak to Athens High School students next Thursday. The day before, Wednesday, Aug. 27, at 7 p.m., he will address anyone interested in hearing his story at Eastern Hills Church of Christ. The church is located at 1200 East Corsicana Street. For more information, call 903-675-3975. To see the video, go to YouTube.com and search “From One Second to the Next.”