LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) - The founder of the 5-5-5 Initiative says crashes like the harrowing one Monday morning on I-27 prove their work is not over. Two Lubbock County Sheriff's deputies who were helping a stranded driver were sent to the hospital, after another driver hit their patrol car and pinned them between it and the interstate overpass.
Crashes like this one hit close to home for Mark Hill.
"The first thought is of course, you're sick at your stomach because, the families," he said. "That's the first thought, is a couple of families got those phone calls that no one wants to get."
He got one of those calls in 2020, when his son, firefighter Eric Hill, was killed in a crash on I-27, along with police officer Nicholas Reyna. Firefighter Matt Dawson also died in 2023 from health complications caused by the crash.
"I guess one of your greatest fears is everybody's going to forget about your son. Everybody's going to forget about this day. And so, we wanted to do something to remember," Hill said.
In their honor, he and his wife, Susan, started the 5-5-5 Initiative. The rule is to plan five options daily for safety, consider five actions to keep you safe and tell five people you love them each day. In a world full of distractions, Hill says their message is to just concentrate on driving.
"Be sure you're ready to drive. Be sure your vehicle is ready to drive and then take the steps that you need to keep yourself safe and and others safe, as well."
While there were nearly 900 fewer Lubbock crashes last year than the year before, Hill says there's work left to do.
"I think we still have a lot of messaging to do. Today proves that...that we have to pay more attention. We have to think about driving when we're driving. That's all we need to be thinking about, nothing else," he said.
5-5-5 is hosting its annual Move Over, Slow Down Rally. It's set for October 4 in the South Plains Mall parking lot from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. There will be first responder teams, their vehicles and games for kids.
"Parents will listen to their children if they're in the backseat saying, "Daddy, daddy, there's a fire truck, slow down, slow down,'" Hill said.
Hill says the whole point of the rally is so people can get to know the first responders and roadside workers they may see while driving.
"We want you to do it because you care, because they're good guys. They've got families. Every person that's standing out by that road working has a family," he said.
While sharing this message is hard and emotional work, Hill says it's their calling to honor Eric and keep his fellow first responders safe.