Samuel Thompson knew better than to text and drive.

“He knew better, and that’s the thing,” Lisa Thompson said, adding that parents try to make their kids listen to them, but that her son was probably in a hurry and thought it wouldn’t happen to him.

On Sept. 12, 2014, Sam died in a head-on collision with a semi-truck on Highway 195, just south of Colfax. A junior at Lewis-Clark State College, Sam was on his way home. It was one week before his 21st birthday.

His father Jim, a lieutenant with the Colfax Fire Department, was supposed to respond to that accident.

“Fortunately, that day I never received anything on my phone,” Jim said. He heard over the radio that there was a confirmed fatality and thought to himself that he was sorry for the family. Then he continued about his business.

Sam’s godfather, as well as another close family friend, did respond to the scene, Jim said.

“When they walked up to the car, they said, ‘It’s registered to Jim Thompson,’” Lisa said. “They pulled it back and saw the blond hair and they lost it. And then they were immediately called to another scene, thank goodness, so they had to leave.”

It didn’t take long for investigators to figure out the cause of the crash.

“They saw where the phone was, and they knew,” Lisa said.

The phone records confirmed it: Sam had sent a text at 10:21. The first 911 call came in at 10:22, Jim said.

Sam probably looked down to make sure it sent and didn’t realize he’d crossed into the other lane, he said.

Sam is remembered by friends, family and coworkers as an “amazing young man” who had a big heart and a smile for everyone.

His parents have been using their tragic experience to make a positive difference. Jim and Lisa visited Colfax high school and spoke in front of a driver’s education class in Pullman.

“I know there were a few of them there that really did respond,” Lisa said.

Jim admitted he’s guilty of texting while behind the wheel.

“I think everyone is guilty,” he said. “I still feel bad about it.”

Lisa disagreed, saying that she’s never even been tempted to text while driving.

“It’s not worth it,” Lisa said. “It can wait ‘til I get home.”

Cmdr. Chris Tennant of the Pullman Police Department said he thinks texting and driving is a selfish thing to do because it puts everybody else at risk.

“My son texted and that was the last thing he ever did,” Lisa said. “If he’d survived and killed someone else, I mean, you’d have to live with that for the rest of your life. It’s not just you being hurt. You could hurt someone else.”

One of the challenges for officers is that telephones are usually held below the level of car windows.

“It’s frustrating because text and driving is so dangerous and it’s really difficult for the patrol officer to enforce,” Tennant said. At traffic lights, people are always looking down at their laps and laps aren’t that exciting, Tennant said.

“It’s a $124 ticket if we catch you,” he said. “Don’t expect to get a warning.”

The Thompsons plan to continue talking about texting and driving whenever they have the opportunity. They are involved in the production of a video to be distributed to drivers’ education classes around the state and have a website, www.2stayalive4me. At the end of the month, a memorial sign will unveil in Spokane.

As students head home for spring break, Tennant noted that speed is still the No. 1 cause of accidents in the state. He advised that drivers be patient.

“Nothing is worth your life,” Lisa said. “People think that they’re invincible and they’re not, and they think it won’t happen to them, but it does.”

Tuesday, the Washington Senate voted to expand the state ban on cell phone use while driving to cover any other smart phone functions, like social media. The bill will now move to the House. If passed, drivers would receive a $209 ticket for holding, reading from, or typing on a cell phone while driving.