Hailey Brouillet, 20, had a positive attitude, yellow apartment walls and dreams of being a physical therapist. She died on October 28, 2013 of injuries sustained in a car accident.

Maya Michelle Horton, 19, was a hard-working psychology major preparing to get married. She died on December 12, 2013 after being struck by another driver.

Eric Pauli, 18, had a bright yellow Pontiac G5 named ‘Natalie’ and loved to play trombone with the Golden Grizzlies pep band, where he met his girlfriend. He died February 2, 2014 of injuries sustained in a snowmobile accident. 

Bassam Issa, 27, an Army veteran and criminal justice major one semester from graduation, loved riding his 2005 Kawasaki motorbike with his family and friends. He died this weekend in a motorcycle accident.

Out of the seven Oakland University students who have died in the last year, these four have died in vehicle-related accidents.

Hailey’s injuries were the result of a 65-year-old man rear-ending her and causing a six-car pileup. She died five days after the incident, and the driver was charged with reckless driving causing death and reckless driving causing serious injury, 15-year and 5-year felonies.

Maya, who was driving and attempting to cross a road in order to get to her home in Harrison Township, was hit by a 50-year-old driver who “showed signs that he was intoxicated and was arrested on the spot,” as Macomb County Sheriff Anthony Wickersham told The Macomb Daily. Police were uncertain if Maya yielded to opposing traffic.

Eric was snowmobiling with three friends when he lost control over a snow bank and was thrown off of his snowmobile, hitting the back of a fellow snowmobiler. He was wearing a helmet and not speeding, and Deputy Mark Richardson of the Roscommon County Sheriff’s Office called it a “freak accident.”

Bassam’s motorcycle crashed into a 2005 Chevy Silverado while he was traveling shoulder to shoulder on eastbound I-696. He was wearing a helmet, but the case is still under investigation.

Within the past 365 days, four of our classmates’ lives and aspirations were cut short. Four of our classmates were taken from us through avoidable circumstances.

 According to the Association for Safe International Road Travel (ASIRT), more than 37,000 people die in road traffic crashes each year in the United States. Nearly 400,000 of these people are under the age of 25.

On average, that’s over 1,000 deaths a day.

The ASIRT reports that traffic crashes are the leading cause of death among people ages 15 to 29: the leading demographic at Oakland University. 

While each death is different in circumstance, the haunting commonality exists between the fatalities: vehicles. The road. Other drivers.

The Oakland Post implores the OU community to remember the stories of these fallen students and encourages other students, staff and faculty to be as safe as possible when it comes to vehicles and the road.

Check blind spots, keep a comfortable amount of space between your vehicle and the next, and use seatbelts. According to the World Health Organization, wearing seat belts reduces the risk of death by 61 percent.

Don’t be distracted – put the phone down, wait to eat and turn down the music.

Be patient with yourself and others. Don’t rush, no matter the circumstances. Remember: the goal is to get to the destination, and get there safely.

Seven OU students have died in the past year. Four of those deaths were caused by vehicle-related accidents, four deaths which stole our classmates, friends, and loved ones, four future circumstance to be  avoided with a little more thought and care when it comes to the road.

So do it for Hailey, who was always laughing; Maya, who worked herself to the bone; Eric, who shared his soul and music with all around him; and Bassam, who loved and lived life to the fullest.

Next time you sit behind the wheel, remember these students, our classmates, and honor their memories by choosing the safe route.

 

The staff editorial is written by the members of The Oakland Post’s editorial board.