We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Tasha Hairston Springs a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Tasha, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

My Story:
On the night of the crash, October 17, 2012, I was doing a lot of stuff in my Toyota Highlander. I was eating, drinking, texting, and checking to see what time the outlet closed. I was going to the Nike outlet to get my youngest son some shoes before my date. I was planning on going shopping and then out to eat with the guy I was dating. I crashed before I got to the outlet mall.

One thing I remember, but only a few people know, is that I saw a star fall out of the sky. I followed it with my eyes until it burnt out of sight. It distracted me because I took my eyes off the road to look at it, and I made a wish.

Anytime I see a shooting star, I make a wish. That night was no different, but I was also texting my daughter. I looked down and looked up for the last time before I hit the overpass and the vehicle with two people inside.

When I hit the overpass, my SUV grinded up against the wall. I saw the sparks and figured I was going to die. I didn’t have my seatbelt on. Normally, if I forgot to put my seatbelt on, I would remember a little bit later. This time, I didn’t.

When I collided with the other vehicle, I was thrown forward. I remember bumping my head. I said a prayer, I begged the Divine not to take me like this, and then I thought about my children. I was knocked unconscious. My SUV began to flip, and I was partially ejected out of the driver’s side window. An angel of mercy pulled me back inside my SUV. I remember feeling a presence with me. For two years, I thought my body was on the highway. I met the State Trooper, and he told me my body was on the roof of my SUV because it was upside down.

Something pulled me back inside. I was not supposed to go back into the window. That was a miracle.

My lip ripped away from my face, and I was bleeding to death. The ambulance took the two people to the hospital and myself. The two people were treated and released with minor injuries that night, ( I know they suffered more, because just like my daughters cellphone bill,I told myself I’d pay my insurance later; I thought I had time. I pray for them every time they cross my mind).

I hurt them and I hurt myself I had to have my lip stitched back onto my face and they stopped the bleeding. I lost a lot of blood, muscle, and skin.

I’m O- Rh-, so I am grateful that they didn’t give me the wrong blood and that they had my blood in supply.

After they did that, there was nothing else they could do, so I was transported to a helicopter. In my traumatized state of mind, I thought the helicopter was a huge angel coming to take me to heaven. I realized when I came to that it was the EMS putting me in the helicopter.

When I awoke in ICU, I could’ve sworn I heard music. It was my heartbeat on the monitor. I began to thank the Divine for the miracle of sparing my life. The whole near-death experience was mind-blowing, humbling, and full of mercy and grace.

This is my story, these are my thoughts. Having a near-death experience isn’t something one experiences every day. This is my truth. For three years after the crash, I thought I was walking around dead and the Divine was playing a crazy trick on me. I had to go to therapy.

My faith will always guide and protect me. I have been blessed beyond measure. My dream was to be a motivational speaker that transforms the lives of the people I touch and to be a therapist for children who have been abused. I am on my path. I am serving my purpose.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Latasha (Tasha) Hairston Springs. I go by Tasha. I’m a transformational speaker, the CEO and founder of Mindfully Aware Driving Solutions—where we mindfully solve distracted driving problems. MAD Solutions. Sounds hip, right?

I’m a mom, wife, grandma, safety advocate, and public safety consultant. I’m also a survivor of traffic violence. I was a distracted driver, addicted to and distracted by my cell phone.

I got into the trucking industry through the African American Women Trucking Association (AAWTA), a nonprofit created to empower, support, and advocate for fair and equal treatment of Black women in the trucking industry.

When I was 16 years old, I had my first child. At 19 years old, I wanted to become a truck driver. I had dropped out of school at 16, but I went back, got my GED, and graduated. At 19, I still wanted to be a truck driver, but I had young children and decided to go back to school because I didn’t want my kids to know I had ever dropped out.

My first job was a daycare assistant, my second job was housekeeping at a hotel. My my favorite job was as a forklift operator for a retailer. I enjoyed driving forklifts—I didn’t like sitting behind a desk, so I wanted to do hands-on work. Forklift operating was cool to me, and my father was a forklift operator, too. I was a daddy’s girl, so I wanted to follow in his footsteps. I also knew truck drivers made good money, and I wanted to travel the country. But by the time I was 20, I had two children, and I had to put that dream aside.

I grew up in an abusive household, and it affected my academic performance. In middle school, I stayed in trouble.

Then in 2012, I crashed. It was a wake-up call. I had to hold myself accountable for my actions and behavior. Out of grief and determination, I created the Mindfully Aware Drivers (MAD) Method©️—a 21-day, mindfulness-based prevention program designed to change driver behavior and eradicate distracted driving while using mobile devices.

As part of the program, I designed the MAD Assessment to help drivers understand their relationship with their phone and how it impacts their driving habits. https://form.jotform.com/241845655818064

This program includes a private support group for the 21-day journey, where we break these habits together. We use meditation, prayer, journaling, breathing exercises, and visualizations, setting intentions to become safer, wiser drivers.

My personal journey with traffic violence is a sad one. But being vulnerable, holding myself accountable, and asking all drivers to do the same is what drives me forward.

Every day, 100 people die on U.S. highways due to distracted driving and other forms of traffic violence. The World Health Organization calls it a global health crisis. I call it an addiction.

What am I proud of?
I’m not proud of my actions as a distracted driver, but I am proud of what I’ve done since then.

I’m proud of being featured in the Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety Roadmap to Safety Report 2025.
https://tinyurl.com/MADMAP-Roadmap

I’m a proud 2022 Lifesaver Traffic Scholar—Lifesavers is one of the biggest traffic safety conferences in the U.S.

I had my first keynote discussion panel in Eastern North Carolina with Bike Walk North Carolina.

I was featured on Spectrum News In Focus.

Lobbying for change in Washington DC.

I’m also a proud member of Families for Safe Streets North Carolina and serve as a Policy and Advocacy Committee member with Families for Safe Streets.

I support hands-free legislation across the United States because I believe in creating safer roads for everyone.

I want people to know that I care about our planet. I care about our global community. I want everyone to make wise, safe, and conscious choices while traveling.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

In my story, I was going on a date and shopping. I was going to pay my car insurance late so I could go out and have fun. I was irresponsible and a single mom.

At the time, my youngest son needed shoes—he had a hole in his shoes. That same son is now in prison, serving a seven-year sentence with 15 years of supervised probation for cyber crimes.

In 2023, my father passed away. I found out he was married, and I couldn’t bury him until his wife signed his body over to me and my sister. He died alone in his house with no insurance. Everything fell on us. His house was in foreclosure, we’ve been fighting for his house.

My middle son was shot four times in a case of mistaken identity.

My oldest son crashed in the mountains while driving an 18-wheeler. The trailer exploded, but he escaped from the cab window in time.

Through all of this, I had to grow through what I was going through including Covid.

I had a nervous breakdown and had to put myself in the hospital three times in one year. But I kept moving forward.

Depression and suicidal ideation are mental health disorders that run in my family. I have Complex PTSD from childhood trauma.

That’s why I focus on domestic violence awareness, suicide prevention, mental health awareness, gun violence and distracted driving in my advocacy work. These issues are personal to me because this is my story.

Building my business while dealing with all of this hasn’t been easy. And, on top of that, I’m an introvert. I like to keep to myself, read books, drink tea, and spend time with my cat. Networking has been a challenge.

My biggest weakness and threat.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

I’ve had to unlearn a lot of unhealthy generational patterns—from trauma, addiction, and dysfunction.

My father was an addict. I grew up seeing and hearing things a little Black girl shouldn’t have to see or hear. My parents did the best they could with what they had. But I’m still unlearning the patterns I learned from them and other family members.

My father lost his license from so many DWIs. He was in and out of jail and struggled with substance abuse. He once got a DUI on a bicycle.

My first car wreck happened when I was about four years old. My dad left me in the car alone to sleep. I woke up and tried to drive. I hit the parked car in front of us. That’s how I learned to drive—by watching my dad.

I’ve been through a lot in life—good and bad. I’ve learned a lot—good and bad.

I wouldn’t change anything. Everything I’ve been through has been a lesson. It has molded me into who I am today.

I just want people to know that there’s a better way.

Distractions cause destruction and chaos. Choose to be a mindful driver.

In a world full of distractions that cause chaos and destruction, choose to be a mindful driver.

Choice to be the calm in the storm.

My purpose is to be a guide—to help you along the way. Thank you for your time. And allowing me to bring awareness to this topic that is disproportionately affecting the black community. Let’s work together to end traffic violence one mindful driver at a time.

Contact Info:

• Facebook: https://tinyurl.com/TashaMADSolutions
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/MADmethod

Image Credits

National Safety Council
Lifesavers Traffic Conference
AAACarolinas
Families For Safe Streets