By TOM ZEBOLD
USF Senior Writer
TAMPA, SEPT. 5, 2014 – USF wide receivers coach Ron Dugans' eyes open up wide when he talks about his daughter, Ronshay.
“She would always say, 'You better be good daddy because God is going to get ya.' She always told that to everybody, 'God is going to get you if you're not acting right,'” Dugans said. “That's what I loved about her because she was God fearing in the church and she had a lot of accolades at that age.”
Ronshay Dugans was just 8 years old in 2008 when she boarded a school bus after class that was going to take her to the Boys and Girls Club in Tallahassee.
Ronshay never made it there.
Dugans and everybody that knew his beautiful and bright girl were dealt with the harsh and unfortunate news that the school bus had been hit by a cement truck operated by a driver that fell asleep at the wheel.
“Just the type of person that she was and she is makes me proud to talk about the life that she lived only being 8 years old and how many lives that she touched,” Dugans said.
Ronshay's memory lives on strong to this day and many people have become aware of a very serious matter during Ronshay Dugans Drowsy Driving Week, which began Monday with special events in Tallahassee and Tampa. Dugans stepped away from USF's game week preparation for Maryland on Labor Day to hand out flyers and coffee, and educate drivers at a rest stop at mile marker 277 off I-75. Several more initiatives are taking place this week in Tallahassee.
“A lot of people came out, family and friends. Some of the coaches' wives came out passing out coffee, state troopers were there,” Dugans said. “It was a really good deal. This is my first year being back in Florida. I really appreciate what Coach (Willie) Taggart did for me because he let me have some time to go and do it.”
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says drowsy driving contributes to more than 100,000 crashes a year, resulting in more than 40,000 injuries and 1,550 deaths. Ronshay Dugans Drowsy Driving Week is in the second year of its existence and Dugans said all the initiatives statewide this week are helping to bring attention to a serious matter that can affect anyone.
“This year we're trying to make it huge because I think it goes ignored. Nobody thinks about it until they lose someone,” Dugans said. “People get pulled over and say, 'I'm just sleepy.' I think the matter is just as important as driving drunk and driving while texting.”
Learn more about Drowsy Driving Week and check out tips on how to stay safe on the roads by visiting the Drowsy Driving Florida website HERE.
