SAN ANTONIO — On May 20, officers and deputies across Texas will kick off their "Click It Or Ticket" campaign. They will increase patrols and Texans can expect to be pulled over if they are not wearing a seat belt. But the true cost of not wearing one can be much higher than a fine.
David and Wendy Mills' daughter Kailee was sixteen-years-old, with a 4.3 GPA and days spent volunteering for her church and community in Spring, Texas. On Halloween of 2017, she was riding with friends, traveling only a mile on a residential road, when she unbuckled her seat belt for only a few moments. At that moment, the car veered off the road, rolled over, and Kailee died instantly. Her friends, who were still buckled in, walked away with cuts and bruises.
"We’re not gonna get to see her walk the stage and collect her diploma," David Mills said. "She would be turning eighteen on Memorial Day this year- and we’re not going to see her become an adult."
David Mills says his daughter always wore a seat belt and even would remind her parents to do so from time to time. This was a rare occurrence, but it will have a permanent impact on her loved ones.
The Mills family is visiting cities across Texas, speaking in front of a sculpture reenacting the crash that killed their daughter, in hopes that sharing their story will prevent other families from feeling this pain.
You can support their mission here.