LOS ANGELES, CA – In a matter of seconds, a young child’s life was changed forever. Now Patrick Ivison is grown up, and advocating for ways to prevent distracted driving.
- Victim of distracted driving advocates for change
- Left paralyzed from neck down
- Lobbied Congress for new law
“That was a result of being backed over by a car. A distracted driver who didn’t see my mom and I walking behind him," said Ivison.
The crash happened when Ivison was only 14 months old. A driver who failed to look behind him as he reversed left Ivison paralyzed from the neck down forever.
Now, Ivison is 24 and living in Los Angeles with his girlfriend while working in reality TV.
“I don’t feel resentment, because he feels terrible. It was my mom’s friend. He messages her to this day," said Ivison.
According to kidsandcars.org, at least 50 kids are backed over in the U.S. every week.
“These type of accidents aren’t rare. People surviving them is," Ivison said.
Since he considers himself one of the lucky ones, Ivison turned his tragedy into motion – to help make sure this doesn’t happen to other kids. He has even taken his efforts to lobby Congress for backup cameras to be a standard feature in cars. The new law has since passed.
Ivison said he was the only survivor lobbying in Congress while standing next to the mothers of victims holding pictures of their babies killed in crashes.
During the interview with Spectrum News 1, Ivison showed his sense of humor cracking jokes with reporter Bianca Rae. Howver, he did get misty eyed when talking about how avoidable this all could have been.
“It takes a second to change or end someone’s live" he said, “You don’t have to floor it backwards the second your car turns on.”
When Ivison drives, he drives the way he wished someone else did 24 years ago – slowly and with care.
“Better to arrive late to church than early to heaven," Ivison said.
With everything that can be taken away in a second, Ivison says it is always worth taking a second look.
Bianca Rae <biancarae1@gmail.com>
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If you want to know the value of a second, ask the runner up in the Olympics – or ask Patrick Ivanson. That’s all the time it took to change his life forever.
“That was a result of being backed over by a car. A distracted driver who didn’t see my mom and I walking behind him.”
It happened when he was 14 months old, a driver who didn’t look when he reversed. Now, Patrick’s 24 – living in LA with his girlfriend, working in reality TV -- wheelchair bound, paralyzed from the neck down.
“I don’t feel resentment, because he feels terrible. It was my mom’s friend. He messages her to this day.”
According to kidsincars.org, at least 50 kids are backed over in the US every week.
“These type of accidents aren’t rare. People surviving them is.”
And since he considers himself one of the lucky ones, he turned his tragedy into motion – to help make sure this doesn’t happen to other kids -- lobbying to Congress for backup cameras to be a standard feature in cars. The new law passed.
He was the only survivor there – standing next to moms holding pictures of their babies.
Patrick has a sense of humor, cracking jokes our entire interview – but he did get misty eyed when talking about how….avoidable..this all could’ve been.
“It takes a second to change or end someone’s live.”
“You don’t have to floor it backwards the second your car turns on.”
When he drives, he drives the way he wished someone else did 24 years ago – slowly and wait care.
“Better to arrive late to church than early to heaven.”
And with everything that can be taken away in a second, it’s always worth taking a second look.
Bianca Rae <biancarae1@gmail.com>
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
If you want to know the value of a second, ask the runner up in the Olympics – or ask Patrick Ivanson. That’s all the time it took to change his life forever.
“That was a result of being backed over by a car. A distracted driver who didn’t see my mom and I walking behind him.”
It happened when he was 14 months old, a driver who didn’t look when he reversed. Now, Patrick’s 24 – living in LA with his girlfriend, working in reality TV -- wheelchair bound, paralyzed from the neck down.
“I don’t feel resentment, because he feels terrible. It was my mom’s friend. He messages her to this day.”
According to kidsincars.org, at least 50 kids are backed over in the US every week.
“These type of accidents aren’t rare. People surviving them is.”
And since he considers himself one of the lucky ones, he turned his tragedy into motion – to help make sure this doesn’t happen to other kids -- lobbying to Congress for backup cameras to be a standard feature in cars. The new law passed.
He was the only survivor there – standing next to moms holding pictures of their babies.
Patrick has a sense of humor, cracking jokes our entire interview – but he did get misty eyed when talking about how….avoidable..this all could’ve been.
“It takes a second to change or end someone’s live.”
“You don’t have to floor it backwards the second your car turns on.”
When he drives, he drives the way he wished someone else did 24 years ago – slowly and wait care.
“Better to arrive late to church than early to heaven.”
And with everything that can be taken away in a second, it’s always worth taking a second look.
Bianca Rae <biancarae1@gmail.com>
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
If you want to know the value of a second, ask the runner up in the Olympics – or ask Patrick Ivanson. That’s all the time it took to change his life forever.
“That was a result of being backed over by a car. A distracted driver who didn’t see my mom and I walking behind him.”
It happened when he was 14 months old, a driver who didn’t look when he reversed. Now, Patrick’s 24 – living in LA with his girlfriend, working in reality TV -- wheelchair bound, paralyzed from the neck down.
“I don’t feel resentment, because he feels terrible. It was my mom’s friend. He messages her to this day.”
According to kidsincars.org, at least 50 kids are backed over in the US every week.
“These type of accidents aren’t rare. People surviving them is.”
And since he considers himself one of the lucky ones, he turned his tragedy into motion – to help make sure this doesn’t happen to other kids -- lobbying to Congress for backup cameras to be a standard feature in cars. The new law passed.
He was the only survivor there – standing next to moms holding pictures of their babies.
Patrick has a sense of humor, cracking jokes our entire interview – but he did get misty eyed when talking about how….avoidable..this all could’ve been.
“It takes a second to change or end someone’s live.”
“You don’t have to floor it backwards the second your car turns on.”
When he drives, he drives the way he wished someone else did 24 years ago – slowly and wait care.
“Better to arrive late to church than early to heaven.”
And with everything that can be taken away in a second, it’s always worth taking a second look.
Bianca Rae <biancarae1@gmail.com>
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
If you want to know the value of a second, ask the runner up in the Olympics – or ask Patrick Ivanson. That’s all the time it took to change his life forever.
“That was a result of being backed over by a car. A distracted driver who didn’t see my mom and I walking behind him.”
It happened when he was 14 months old, a driver who didn’t look when he reversed. Now, Patrick’s 24 – living in LA with his girlfriend, working in reality TV -- wheelchair bound, paralyzed from the neck down.
“I don’t feel resentment, because he feels terrible. It was my mom’s friend. He messages her to this day.”
According to kidsincars.org, at least 50 kids are backed over in the US every week.
“These type of accidents aren’t rare. People surviving them is.”
And since he considers himself one of the lucky ones, he turned his tragedy into motion – to help make sure this doesn’t happen to other kids -- lobbying to Congress for backup cameras to be a standard feature in cars. The new law passed.
He was the only survivor there – standing next to moms holding pictures of their babies.
Patrick has a sense of humor, cracking jokes our entire interview – but he did get misty eyed when talking about how….avoidable..this all could’ve been.
“It takes a second to change or end someone’s live.”
“You don’t have to floor it backwards the second your car turns on.”
When he drives, he drives the way he wished someone else did 24 years ago – slowly and wait care.
“Better to arrive late to church than early to heaven.”
And with everything that can be taken away in a second, it’s always worth taking a second look.
