Accidents happen, but far too often

MANCHESTER --

The first time a Clay County High School student died in a crash this school year, it was a shock. The second time, people thought it couldn't happen again. But it did happen again.

And then, horribly, once again.
Four times since the school year began, a Clay County High School student has died in a vehicle crash -- leaving family members, classmates, the entire community, wondering how such a chain of tragedy could happen.
"I've been in education 26 years and I've never known a school to go through something like this," said Clay County High School Principal Michael White.

But as shocking as the Clay County experience is, it only emphasizes the fact that vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for young Kentuckians. And the crashes form only part of a grim, overall statistical picture that shows Kentucky youngsters are at much greater risk from injuries -- often preventable injuries -- than from any deadly disease. Recent events in Clay County, however, seem to defy statistical analysis.

They began last Oct. 29 with the death of Trenton Thompson, a 16-year-old freshman. He was riding an ATV with two companions, and they collided with a car.

Francheska Smith, a 17-year-old senior, was killed just over a week later. State police said her car slid into the path of a truck Nov. 7.

She was wearing a seat belt.
Shawn Barrett died Feb. 3 after his ATV ran off Ky.

3476 and hit two trees. Shawn, a 16-year-old sophomore, was wearing a helmet.
Tragedy struck again exactly a month later.

Tasha Howard, a 17-year-old senior, died on March 3, two days after being thrown from a friend's pickup when it hydroplaned and collided with a car. Police said Tasha wasn't wearing a seat belt. Driving the truck was Steven Wiley Barrett, 18, Shawn Barrett's older brother.

Seat belts are required in Kentucky, and ATVs are not supposed to be operated on roads. Also, safety authorities say, ATVs can become unstable with more than one rider on board.
No one here struggles with the four students' deaths more than Glenn Thompson, Trenton Thompson's father.

He remembers his only son "as a lovable kid, who cared for people and loved everybody."
"I don't know. .

.. I guess we just have to trust in God and he'll lead us," Thompson said recently.

"But I want to try to do something for the good out of this. ..

. Maybe talk to these kids about four-wheelers and things like that. Accidents happen, but they could be taught something out of this.

"
The Clay County Schools hope to do that with a two-day safety program next week for all high school and middle school students. The program was prompted by the four students' deaths, school officials said, and the theme will be "I Am Responsible for My Own Safety."
The deaths in Clay County come as overall traffic fatalities in Kentucky are declining, possibly because of a tougher state seat-belt law and a new graduated license program for teen drivers.

Some 136 people had died in Kentucky crashes in 2007 as of March 23, compared to 148 at that point last year, and 181 at that point in 2005.
Even so, traffic crashes remain a huge threat for Kentucky teens, with 16- to 19-year-olds accounting for almost 12 percent of fatalities, even though they make up only about 6 percent of the state population.
But folks in Clay County haven't had much time to reflect on statistics.

They're still grieving.
Jessica Lipps, 17, remembers Trenton Thompson every day at lunch time. He was her first cousin.

"Trenton always sat with me in the lunch room," she said. "It's really hard with him not being there."
Art teacher Donnie Stevens remembers talking to Shawn Barrett on the Friday before he died.

Shawn stopped, made a joke, then walked on. Stevens never saw him again. "He was a joy to have in class," Stevens said.

Teacher Christy Rice, who had Trenton Thompson in her health class, recalled that he "told a joke on Friday and everybody laughed. On Monday it was like he had just disappeared. We all cried our eyes out.

"
"I tell kids in my class about safety every day," Rice said. "But in four months and three days we lost four kids. And it's not like they were out drinking and driving or doing something bad.

They died just doing the things that teenagers do. It's so dangerous out there."
Some teachers, like Stevens, say they think many students are still numb from the shock of losing four classmates.

Many youngsters still post messages to their former classmates almost daily on the MySpace.com Web site. A memorial service for the four was held recently at the school.

A scholarship fund in Trenton Thompson's name has raised about $2,200 so far, and the first scholarship will go to a Clay County senior when school ends. Donations can be made through the First National Bank of Manchester.
Teachers and parents say they hope students are being more careful since the fatal crashes, and apparently some are.

DeAnna Ellis, an 18-year-old senior, says she always wears a seat belt, and insists that anyone riding with her does too. But many of her classmates still don't, she said. "A lot of kids still think it can't happen to them," DeAnna said.

But Jessica Lipps said she definitely has changed.
"I've slowed down a lot," she said. "And I don't remember ever wearing a seat belt before.

But I do now."
Herald-Leader researcher Linda Niemi contributed to this story. Reach Jim Warren at (859) 231-3255, 1-800-950-6397, Ext.