| Our name stands for Michael Appleby Keeping Us Safe. We were founded in memory of Michael, who was a student at Notre Dame High School in Chattanooga, Tennessee, when he died in a car crash at age 16. Michael was driving with his two cousins on November 20, 2001 when he missed a poorly-marked sharp turn just 50 yards from his cousins’ back yard. His car left the road, went into a grove of trees and flipped. Michael was not wearing a seatbelt. He was ejected from the vehicle and died at the scene.
Stories like Michael’s happen 20 times every day in the United States. Death and injury are epidemic among young drivers. Michael’s mother, Judy Appleby, became a safety advocate soon after Michael died. She formed MAKUS to help save the lives of other teens and prevent families from having to endure the pain she and her family have had to endure.
The mission of the MAKUS Buckle Up! Drive Safely! organization is to inform, mentor and foster good driving habits through comprehensive teen driver education, awareness, and advocacy in order to save lives and reduce serious injury. We offer teenagers a unique approach to education and awareness of driver safety issues, by shifting their focus beyond the minimal skills they must learn to pass a driving exam to the many risks associated with driving. |
