A Utah State University student died in a car crash Saturday in Idaho and her family may use the tragedy as an opportunity to warn people about distracted driving.
Taylor Sauer, 18, was driving west on Interstate 84 near Mountain Home, when she crashed into a slow-moving semi-trailer hauling a tanker about 9 p.m.
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Lt. Sheldon Kelley of the Idaho State Police said the semi was traveling slowly because of the grade of the road. Sauer, who was driving a 2004 Saturn VUE, crashed into the back of the tanker. Kelley said Sauer was likely traveling at highway speed, which in the area is 75 mph.
After the crash, Sauer’s car was hit by a second semi-truck that was traveling behind her, police said.
She was pronounced dead at the scene.
Sauer’s uncle, Brad Warr, on Tuesday said the family suspects she was posting to Facebook via her cell phone prior to the crash. Twelve to 15 minutes before she hit the truck, Sauer had posted on her page about the Denver Broncos’ NFL playoff loss.
"Taylor was an 18-year-old-happy-go-lucky-type kid and she made an 18-year-old-type decision that cost her dearly," Warr said.
Warr said the family has already discussed a public service campaign to discourage distracted driving, especially among teenagers.
"We have discussed that we want to do something. We just don’t know what form it will take," Warr said.
The message in her Facebook account, posted at 8:48 p.m., read: "I can’t discuss this matter now. Driving and Facebooking is not safe!" according to the Herald Journal.
Sauer was a graduate of Marsing, Idaho, High School and was an elementary education major at USU. Warr said the high school plans to retire her number 32 softball jersey.
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