SOBRDrive

A 17-year-old is dead in Novato this morning.

The technology that would have kept that car in the driveway has existed for 5 years. My company builds it. And I'm done being polite about who refuses to say its name.

Saturday at 1 a.m., a Toyota Camry carrying five teenagers slammed into a utility pole on San Marin Drive. One didn't survive. Four are still in the hospital. Police say the 17-year-old driver was drunk.

The cruelest detail: it happened hours after their high school held a DUI awareness assembly. They heard the message. They got in the car anyway.

- Awareness is not prevention.

- Promises are not prevention.

- A staged funeral in a school gym is not prevention.

SOBRDRIVE is.

Our system will not physically allow an impaired driver to start the vehicle. No test, no ignition. A failed BAC test is what would have kept that teen alive. It costs less per month than a trip to Starbucks. It installs in minutes. It works on the car your kid already drives. It can be activated remotely.

I have sat in rooms with advocacy groups and insurance politicians who have seen it work — and then gone back to their offices and said nothing, because we refuse to be a "Paid" partner.

I don't understand their Silence.

I do understand what it costs. A 17-year-old in Rohnert Park is what it costs.

If you know a parent of a teen driver, please share it with them tonight.

At no point in my life did I think the death of a person who was not family would change the course of my life. I saved my first life at the age of twelve when I jumped into a frozen lake to save a young Black girl who had fallen through. I didn't hesitate or think of the consequences if I failed. We both went under at one point, and I remember calling on God to help save us both. He did that day. He also gave me purpose.

That feeling of saving a life would guide me for the rest of my life. It put me on a course that would lead me to create Driven By Safety Inc.

I joined the Army at 17 as a way to gain some independence. I was made an infantry soldier, but my CO saw my ASVAB scores and sent me to Fort Sam Houston to become an Army Medic. I met a Navy Hospital Corpsman there, which made me switch services and become one myself.

After my time in the military, I naturally worked as a first responder for AMR. I did that for ten years in Los Angeles. I moved to Portland, Oregon, and started working for AMR there. I then switched to the emergency room as an ER tech.

I spent the better part of 30 years of my life working in a capacity to save lives and serve my community.

When a repeat drunk driver killed my friend, Tessa, I dedicated my life to finding a solution to this issue. I quit my job and started Driven By Safety Inc. in 2014. Ten years later, I find myself in a fight that doesn't make sense.

In 2021, we introduced SOBRDRIVE and CheckBAC DRIVE. The two platforms answered, "How do we end impaired driving in a way that will be accepted and not infringe on personal freedoms?"

You would think that we would have been met with tremendous enthusiasm. Instead, we have been met with blatant bias and resentment for bringing it to the attention of those in charge.

It's hard to keep being ignored and watching people die every day from drunk driving. I know what that feels like from the perspective of the family, friends, and first responder. Especially now when I know that their lives could have been saved.

Every day, I wake up and pray that God will open the hearts and minds of those in a position to make a difference. I won't stop making noise about my platforms in the hopes that God can use me to save at least one more life.

To me, it will always be just one life saved should be celebrated.

Join the Revolution in Road Safety with Driven By Safety Inc.

Are you passionate about making a difference in your community? We're offering a unique franchise opportunity that allows you to tap into four lucrative markets—Parental, Commercial Fleet, Court-Ordered, and Responsible Drivers—while helping reduce DUI incidents and enhancing vehicle safety.

Why Choose Driven By Safety?
🔹 Low franchise cost: $5,000
🔹 $4,500 rebate after reaching 125 users
🔹 Custom website and marketing materials included
🔹 Tap into a massive market with 32 million commercial vehicles on the road
🔹 Make a positive impact on teen driver safety, with over 2.1 million vehicles purchased annually for teens

Start your journey with us today and be part of a solution that saves lives!