Grant Wallace knows firsthand how a seemingly innocuous decision can change, or even end, a life.

Wallace and two of his friends were on their way to a party in Pueblo on the night of July 15, 2018, when he lost control of his vehicle while making a turn. The car rolled over three times before coming to a stop. Wallace and his friend, Amanias, neither of whom were wearing seat belts, were thrown from the vehicle.

Wallace suffered a myriad of injuries that would hospitalize him for weeks. Amanias died at the scene.

Wallace’s ordeal took place during the most lethal period of the year for young drivers, according to a youth health and safety organization.

Colorado Students Against Destructive Decisions, or SADD, refers to the period between Memorial Day and Labor Day, as the “100 Deadliest Days” of the year — the season when the greatest number of young people lose their lives to car crashes and other harmful decisions.

According to a 2020 study by the American Automobile Association, 8,300 Americans were killed in teen-related summertime crashes between 2008 and 2018 – an average of 7 people per day, each summer.

“And that’s just the fatal crashes,” said state coordinator Kerry Ferguson. “That doesn’t even include the crashes where people were injured, but not killed.”

So far this year, 32 motorists between the ages of 15 and 24 have died in crashes in Colorado, according to data from the Colorado Department of Transportation.

Distracted driving involving cell phones and passengers is the leading cause of crashes among younger drivers, with impairment (alcohol, drugs, or fatigue) not far behind, Ferguson said.

“We’re trying to get young people to be more cautious during the summer months, and for parents to be more proactive as well,” Ferguson said, adding that parents should remind young motorists to use their seat belts, avoid alcohol, and remain alert on the roads.

Wallace, now 20, was sober the night of his fatal crash, he said. But he admits that he should have paid closer attention to the road, and he wishes he’d made everyone in the car wear a seat belt.

In court, Wallace eventually pleaded down from a vehicular homicide charge to careless driving resulting in a death, and was given four years’ probation and 400 hours community service. He decided he wanted his community service to mean something.

“I want to talk to people about it,” he said. “I want to try to help people avoid going through the same thing.”

Wallace has prepared a presentation that tells the story of his crash and its aftermath, and he intends to use it as a representative of SADD. He has conducted a couple of dress rehearsals in front of some of the organization’s youth leaders, and he plans to give talks to high school-age teens beginning in the fall.

“I want people, and teens specifically, to realize how important even the smallest decisions are,” he said.

“He feels pretty strongly about trying to make a difference,” Ferguson said of Wallace. “He made a mistake – a big one – that continues to affect his daily life, and he wants to try to help others avoid doing something similar.”

Peer-to-peer education – like Wallace’s presentation — is a key component of many SADD endeavors, Ferguson said. Young people are often more likely to heed a warning from a peer than an admonition from an adult.

“Oftentimes it’s our friends who lead us – in good ways, and sometimes in not-so-good ways,” she said. “That’s why we’re encouraging young people to get involved and help share our message.”

Inexperience, recklessness, and poor decision-making result in the deaths of thousands of young drivers and passengers each year. But Ferguson said she sees an encouraging trend among younger people.

“Students and young people are becoming more aware,” Ferguson said. “They’re stepping up, and raising their voices, and reaching out to help each other.”

Anyone interested in joining SADD, or forming their own chapter, can visit https://co.sadd.org.