A large number of the figures in the book have a tragic event happen to them, followed by a hard path to redemption, reconciliation and healing. Even America itself follows this path, if the definition of trauma can be expanded to include an epidemic of fatalities related to texting and driving.

Terryl’s troubled childhood not only gives her a unique capacity to empathize with victims but also acts as an example for the kind of household she doesn’t want to create. Because of this, Terryl’s daughters thrive in a way her circumstances didn’t allow her to as a child.

We see different variations of this general story in other figures. Leila and Jackie struggle to come to terms with their husbands’ death and eventually find themselves able to forgive. Don Linton and Tony Baird have also transcended their past mistakes and trauma. Reggie’s tragedy is front and center and slightly different in that he caused it. His journey is more complicated and involves a path toward truth, before he can heal. 

One moral of the book, which is difficult to disagree with, is: Don’t text and drive. But not only is this a book about the dangers of distracted driving, it is about why the problem has arisen in the first place.