Crosley Law is excited to announce the 2019 winner of our Local Distracted Driving Scholarship. Each year, our law firm awards one local and national incoming or current college freshman with a scholarship. In the past few years, our scholarship has focused on raising awareness of the dangers of distracted driving. Applicants were asked to submit an essay about their opinions and experiences with this national safety concern.
Keep reading to learn more about Ella Allen, this year’s winner of the Crosley Law Local Distracted Driving Scholarship.
Meet Our Local Scholarship Winner, Ella Allen
Ella Allen graduated Basis Shavano high school this spring and will enter the Texas Tech College of Arts and Sciences’ pre-nursing program in the fall. Ella plans to earn her doctorate as a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist — and her interest in the medical field is a personal one.
Ella grew up in San Antonio with her brother and two sisters. Heidi, her youngest sister, was born with a brain malformation that causes her cognitive delays and severe epileptic seizures. “All that we’ve experienced with Heidi has given me a special interest in helping people and in medical care,” says Ella, and her sister’s condition led her to become active as a volunteer. Ella has volunteered with Kinetic Kids, Camp Brainstorm, and the Epilepsy Foundation of Central & South Texas — all of which are organizations dedicated to helping children with brain disorders.
In addition to her other volunteer work, Ella also spends her summers coaching the neighborhood swim team, lifeguarding, and teaching swim lessons. When she’s not volunteering, Ella enjoys snow and water skiing, traveling, and spending time with her family. She is also active in a variety of sports, playing on the high school’s basketball and softball teams.
Ella Experienced the Devastation of Distracted Driving
Just over a year after she got her driver’s license, Ella witnessed firsthand the devastation that can result from distracted driving. Emily, a neighborhood girl whom Ella was mentoring, was killed when a distracted driver rear-ended her grandfather’s car with enough force to obliterate the back of the sedan. The 13-year-old girl was riding in the backseat on her way from swim to volleyball practice. Emily died as the result of severe head trauma because the other driver decided to text while driving. Her grandfather still suffers from survivor’s guilt. Her friends and family were left to mourn the death of a bright, outgoing girl killed in a senseless accident.
“The distracted driving accident that killed Emily is never far from my mind,” says Ella, “it cemented for me the vow to never text and drive.”
Crosley Law Firm Advocates to Stop Distracted Driving
Emily was one of 451 people killed in Texas by distracted driving in 2017. Although fatalities were down last year, distracted driving still accounted for 18% of all crashes in the state. Crosley Law Firm is dedicated to spreading awareness of distracted driving to help prevent tragedies such as Emily’s death.
“We’ve received hundreds of essay applications from students across the country, all sharing their experiences with distracted driving.” says Tom Crosley. “Our goal is that every time we talk about these scholarships, we’re helping to raise awareness for distracted driving.”
To learn more about Crosley Law or to schedule a free consultation, please contact us online or call 210-LAW-3000 | 210-529-3000.
Resources
Talk, Text, Crash Campaign. (2019, June 3). Texas Department of Transportation. Retrieved from https://www.txdot.gov/inside-txdot/media-center/psas/distracted-driving/distracted.html
Texas Motor Vehicle Traffic Crash Facts Calendar Year 2017. (2019, May 6). Texas Department of Transportation. Retrieved from https:// ftp.dot.state.tx.us/pub/txdot-info/trf/crash_statistics/2017/01.pdf
