#AustinStrong is...
A nonprofit organization founded for the purpose of spreading awareness of the “slow down move over laws” that are in effect for all 50 states. The law states a driver must move over one lane or slow down to 20 mph below the speed limit if there are flashing lights on the side of the road. A first responder is struck and killed every 4.5 days because a driver does not slow down and move over.
Our initiative is to spread awareness using a platform of billboards and car shows to educate the general driving population which will result in ZERO struck-by deaths.
About
After growing up in the towing industry Austin continued his “love” for playing with the big trucks, especially the rotators. Austin drove a heavy wrecker in Orlando, Florida for Johnson’s Wrecker Service. On February 1, 2021, Austin was loading a dump truck on SR 408 when he was struck by a driver who failed to slow down and move over.
My son
Austin went on to spend 26 days in the ICU trauma department, having multiple surgeries and remaining in a coma. On the 26th day we were forced to remove him from life support.
Although
The slow down move over law carries a citation in the state of Florida, with no criminal charges unless the driver is under the influence. I believe that more people need to be made aware that this law exists. Drivers need to know how many lives are affected when they choose to read one text or dial one phone number. When drivers make the choice to drive distracted, lives are destroyed in a blink of an eye. Children are left without parents, and parents are left without children.
Austin was #7
Struck-by in 2021. By the end of 2021 there were 65 first responders that died from struck-by accidents; 22 of them were tow operators and 2 were service technicians.
In 2022 there were 51 struck-bys; 2 Ems, 17 law enforcement, 9 fire/rescue, 18 tow operators, 1 safety service and 4 road service technicians.
These deaths were all avoidable, if the drivers just slowed down or moved over these men and women, mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers would be alive today. These numbers do not include the countless struck-bys that resulted in permanent disabilities or serious injuries, or even the close calls.
Forever Loved & Never Forgotten
My son left behind two children, his youngest son turned 1 while Austin was in the hospital, his older son turned 3, three months after he passed. My son made the best of every situation and truly enjoyed life; he loved being a Daddy more than anything in the world. He relocated to Orlando in 2017, upon graduating from the local community college. He had his whole life in front of him, and it was taken away in the blink of an eye. If that driver had obeyed the law, or had knowledge of the law, and moved over or slowed down when he saw the flashing lights on the side of the road that day you wouldn’t be reading this story. A one second decision would have changed my son’s whole day.
Written by...
Brooke Lawrence
Tow Mom
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