After working on a car he purchased with his own money, 18-year-old Tony Baughman hopped in with a friend and plans to meet a girl at a basketball game.
While driving down I-75, he lost control of his car and ran into a concrete rail. Baughman did not have his seat belt on, but his passenger did. The passenger survived. Baughman did not.
A young Ringgold resident, Baughman seemingly had his whole life ahead of him.
He was in his last semester before graduation. He had great potential as a star soccer player at Silverdale Baptist Academy.
His mother Christine Baughman is left wondering … if he had just worn his seat belt maybe he would still be alive today.
Almost exactly two years later to the date of his accident, The Colonnade is hosting the Yellow Card Dinner sponsored by the Tony Baughman Memorial Fund.
The event is Jan. 25 at 7 p.m. Funds raised will pay for driver’s education programs at Ringgold High School and Silverdale Baptist Academy.
“We want to let teens know what the consequences are of driving without a seat belt on,” Christine Baughman said. “Tony was not wearing his seat belt, but his passenger had his seat belt on and walked away with a broken arm. Teenagers need to slow down and drive safe.”
The Baughman family owns Promise Pediatrics in Ringgold, so the well-being of children and teenagers is on their minds daily.
“We want to see kids grow up and have long lives,” Baughman said, adding that approximately 100 teens lose their lives annually in the area in auto accidents. “To see their lives cut short, it’s devastating.”
Using funds from the Yellow Card Dinner, the Baughman family will bring in police officers, ambulance drivers and fire trucks to give demonstrations at RHS and Silverdale Baptist this spring.
“They bring in a car and put mannequins without seat belts on and then spin the car,” said Baughman, adding that the mannequins fall out the windows. “Then they put them back in and fasten their seat belts and spin it and they stay inside the car.”
Through the Baughman Fund she hopes to one day be able to travel to all schools and show the program, but for now does demonstrations at RHS and SBA.
“It costs $130,000 a year for a full driver’s education program,” Baughman said. “It’s where students would take a year-round driver’s education class at their school. If we could get enough people on board to make it happen, the full driver’s education program is the ultimate goal of the fund.”
To learn more about the Tony Baughman Memorial Fund, visit tonybaughmanmemorialfund.com. For ticket information, call The Colonnade at 706-935-9000. Tickets are $25 per plate or $200 per table of eight. To make a reservation, send donations to Tony Baughman Memorial Fund at P.O. Box 21706, Chattanooga, Tenn., 37424.