A North Dakota teenager who survived a severe rollover crash is sharing her story during Teen Driver Safety Week, Oct. 18-24, with a simple message for other young drivers: wear your seat belt every trip, every time.
Brenna Eckroth, a student at Flasher Public School and Vision Zero student leader, was 15 when she fell asleep behind the wheel while driving home on June 18, 2025. Her vehicle left the roadway, became airborne after striking an approach and rolled multiple times before coming to rest on its side.
Brenna was wearing her seat belt.
“I know how different my story could have ended if I hadn’t been buckled up,” Eckroth said. “Wearing a seat belt only takes a second, but it can be the decision that saves your life. I hope other teens hear my story and remember to buckle up every single time they get in a vehicle.”
Brenna’s story comes as unbelted fatalities remain a concern in North Dakota. To date in 2026, 52% of people killed in traffic crashes in North Dakota who had access to a seat belt were not buckled. Teen Driver Safey Week serves as an opportunity for parents, schools and communities to reinforce safe driving habits with young drivers, beginning with buckling up on every trip.
For Brenna, that habit was already established before her crash. As a Vision Zero student leader, she had spent the previous school year helping promote seat belt use at Flasher Public School through activities and presentations. She credits that experience with helping her understand the importance of buckling up.
“I had spent so much time talking about seat belt safety through Vision Zero that putting mine on was already something I knew I needed to do,” Eckroth said. “I’m incredibly grateful I made that choice that day.”
Trooper Brady Aberle of the North Dakota State Patrol investigated the crash. At the scene, he found Brenna’s seat belt locked in the extended position, indicating it had been worn. Based on the vehicle’s path and crash dynamics, Aberle believed the crash would likely have been fatal had Brenna not been buckled because of the high probability of ejection.
“The severity of the crash made it clear this could have easily been a very different outcome, but Brenna was wearing her seat belt,” Aberle said. “Because of that one decision, she survived.”
Brenna’s experience also highlights another risk young drivers may underestimate: drowsy driving.
In the days leading up to the crash, Brenna had returned from a family vacation and quickly resumed a busy summer schedule. That Wednesday, she left home early and spent the day near Lemmon, S.D., before beginning the approximately two-hour drive home later that afternoon.
“The scary part is that I didn’t feel tired when I started driving,” Eckroth said. “I remember getting closer to home and thinking I didn’t have that much farther to go. Looking back, I know I should have stopped or pulled over. The next thing I remember is the impact.”
Fatigue can be an important consideration for young drivers, particularly in rural communities where traveling to and from school, work, sports and other activities may require significant time behind the wheel.
If a driver feels tired, they should pull over in a safe location to rest or arrange for another ride rather than trying to push through the remaining miles.
Brenna escaped the crash without major physical injuries, but recovery took time. She dealt with an airbag burn, cuts and soreness, as well as the emotional effects of the crash and becoming comfortable driving again.
Today, she is using the experience to encourage other teens to make safe choices behind the wheel.
“Before this happened, I was already talking to other students about traffic safety through Vision Zero. I never imagined I would have my own story to tell,” Eckroth said. “If sharing what happened to me helps even one person remember to wear their seat belt or recognize when they’re too tired to drive, then it’s worth telling.”
Learn more about traffic safety and Vision Zero at VisionZero.ND.gov.