It was a normal start to the day for 34-year-old Courtney Ann Sanford, who was known for being a great driver.
But her death was sudden.
As her favorite Pharrell Williams song, “Happy,” played on the radio, she felt a rush of happiness. Courtney posted a selfie on Facebook with the words “This song makes me happy!” to show how happy she was. That split-second choice was fatal.
Not long after that, Courtney’s car hit a truck going about 60 km/h. Her car went into a ditch and then a tree because of the force. Her car caught on fire in the terrible aftermath, and she tragically died while trapped inside.
When her family found out, they saw her last Facebook post, which happened to be at a strange time. The police confirmed, “The post was made at 8:33 AM.” The emergency call came in at 8:34 AM.
Courtney’s tragic death shows how dangerous it is to drive while distracted. The lesson from her story is clear: “When you’re driving, pay attention to the road.”