The death of a Greenville High student on Friday was a senseless loss of life and another sad reminder of how quickly one of our young people can be snatched away in the blink of an eye.

Daniel Lewis Spann was thrown from an automobile Friday night when the car he was a passenger in left the road, leaving his parents, friends and the community asking why.

Because of the closeness we feel with one another, a young person's death tears at the very heart of a small town like Greenville. The tragedy of a life cut short, especially someone so young, makes us painfully aware of the fragility of our daily existence and those around us.

As parents we all feel a tender kinship for any parent who must bury their child, because we can see ourselves in that same circumstance. Indeed, life is fleeting and we all need to live each day as if it were our last.

What Daniel's death should make us all realize is how the simple act of buckling a seatbelt could save your life. Had Daniel's seatbelt been buckled, authorities say, he would be alive today. Instead of staring at an empty bedroom, his parents would have had him to hug when he returned home Friday night. Instead of mourning the loss of their fellow classmate at his funeral, his friends would have seen him in class Monday and continued to build those special relationships that come from the high school years.

Daniel Lewis Spann's death should serve as a tragic warning for drivers, both young and old - buckle your seat belt and follow the posted speed limit.

Our highways are lined with too many white crosses already.