Distracted driving crash survivor is working to save lives with new PSA

ATLANTA - It's a dangerous, deadly problem on our roads today. Distracted driving is being blamed for more than 3,400 across the U.S. in 2015. 30 year old Molly Welch suffered a traumatic brain injury 9 years ago, in a crash where she was distracted. Now she's using her cautionary tale, to help others. Her life has been forever changed, and she wants you to think about her, the next time you're not paying attention behind the wheel.

Molly was a junior at Auburn University, studying to be a journalist, with a new job on the school newspaper. After a trip home to Atlanta, she was one exit away from school, when she believes, she must have started fiddling with her new tape recorder.

"I must have been listening to my recorder because I went clear across the median and head on with a pickup truck," says Molly.

The crash left Molly in a coma, and with severe brain injuries. While she doesn't remember the weeks leading up to the crash, the tape recorder captured the devastating moments that changed her life forever.

"The tape recorder recorded the accident, everything from the gentleman saying, help is on the way ma'am to sirens blaring. It's crazy," Molly recalls.

While at The Shepherd Center, Molly had to re-learn to do everything, even how to eat, walk, and talk. Now, she's using her story, to try and change the habits of other drivers. Her nonprofit, "A Second Later" is reaching out to high schoolers and making public service announcements.

"If I can save just one life, it will be all worth it," Molly shares.

Years after she was supposed to graduate, Molly was able to finish her degree from Auburn. "My brother helped me across the stage to received my diploma, and words can't describe it," she says.

While she has come a long way, Molly says for her, everything changed in a split second. "It's not that important to risk everything over. You can lose everything in a second," Molly says.

With "A Second Later," Molly does motivational speaking and attends high school events about dangerous driving. She says, she really hopes to get through to the teen drivers.

One of her P.S.A.'s, which was put together in partnership with the Governor's Office of Highway Safety, and Georgia Public Broadcasting, won an Emmy earlier this summer.

For more information on Molly, or on her nonprofit, "A Second Later" visit: https://www.facebook.com/asecondlater/