ROBERTSDALE, Ala. — Andy Citrin describes himself as a pretty tough guy. A trial attorney since 1986, Citrin specializes in injury and death cases, and has seen a lot in his practice.

Then the Bowers family came into his office.

“They came in in 2006,” said Citrin. The Bowers’ son, Braden Bowers of Loxley, had been killed on Interstate 10. A distracted driver had drifted into Bowers’ lane, forcing him into oncoming traffic. Bowers died Feb. 16, 2006. The honors student was 18 years old.

“He was T-boned and killed,“ said Citrin. “This rocked me back. I had kids of my own.”

Citrin plans to hold a free “Alive at 25” event at the Daphne Civic Center Feb. 27. To get more information about the program, which has already attracted an overflow crowd, call (251) 626-7766 or point your Web browser to citrinsafetyfoundation.com.

Citrin added that another event is planned for April. Details are not firmed now, so contact the above number for more information.

The “Alive at 25” program uses a variety of techniques from video to role-playing.

Citrin got a settlement for the Bowers. He said that the details were sealed.

Citrin also made a promise to the Bowers.

“I promised the Bowers I would get on the prevention side of this,” Citrin said.

Bowers’ sister, Shannon, has campaigned for better barriers along highway medians. They were not required at the time of Braden’s accident.

“Accidents happen. I know that, but if there had been a barrier of some sort, Braden would not have crossed the median and the accident probably would not have cost him his life,” Shannon said in a 2007 Gulf Coast Newspapers story.

Citrin also remembers an incident when he had his four children, now 17, 15, 12, and 9 in the car. One of his passengers unbuckled their seat belt to get something. Citrin ordered the youngster to put the belt back on.

“This was near a curve where a woman had died,” recalled Citrin. “I told them, ‘Look at that curve. A woman died right there because she was not wearing a seat belt.’” He added that as he drove around Daphne, other sites of serious accidents came to him. He pointed out the sites to the youngsters in the car.

“I realized that there were a lot of deaths in a small community like Daphne,” he said.

Looking for a program to bring to Lower Alabama, Citrin and helpers Ashley Jones and Don Mecke found the “Alive at 25” program.

“The program was proven to be 90 percent effective in Colorado,” said Citrin. He added that the Defense Department uses the program to train young servicemembers.

The problem was, the program was not available in Alabama. There was no money to train state troopers, as happens in other states.

No matter. The staff of Citrin’s law firm became instructors, and besides the large kick off event in Daphne, Citrin says he and his staff will “go anywhere, any time” to bring the “Alive at 25” message to young people free of charge. The only requirement is that the group have at least 12 young drivers or drivers-to-be and a Powerpoint projector. It’s best to contact Citrin for full details.