Teddy bears, bouquets of flowers and a Mothers Against Drunk Driving pamphlet are among the items placed at a makeshift memorial near where Bear Creek High School student Samara Stricklen was killed in a head-on collision on March 13.

Above the flowers and melted candles left from a vigil to remember the teen, a message from Samara's friends is printed on hot pink poster board: "We love and miss you so much," they wrote. "You're our shooting star. We will carry you in our hearts forever and always."

When I heard about the accident, my heart sank. I remember losing classmates to car and motorcycle accidents in high school, and even if the person wasn't your best friend, nothing prepares you for the shock and the dismay of a classmate suddenly being gone, forever. Nothing prepares a parent for losing their child so unexpectedly; nothing prepares a community for losing a young person so full of promise.

Although I did not know Samara, this really hit home for me because I had a 16-year-old brother and I know he is not always the most careful driver. OK, he is sometimes downright reckless. Whether or not the teen driving the SUV that hit Samara and her friend was drinking that night, it remains that 16-year-olds do not have the same experience behind the wheel as older drivers.

That is the some of the logic behind Colorado's new teen driving laws. One of the stipulations is that newly licensed drivers cannot have other teens in the cars until they have their license for six months, thus minimizing possible distractions. (Click here to read more about the laws.)

My brother calls the law "stupid." My mom was adamant on him obeying this law, and he fought her every step of the way. He yelled at her. He said none of his other friends had to follow it, because their parents didn't care if they did or not. He called her names I cannot repeat in this blog. He even tried to play the "good parent/bad parent" game by asking my dad if he could drive a group of friends to the Homecoming dance. But my mom was firm, because she believed the law was created for a good reason.

I am not that far removed from high school. I remember how easy it is to crank the stereo and drive just a little bit faster because your friends are there, jamming in the backseat and wanting to have a good time. And when you throw alcohol into the mix ... if teens find a way to get alcohol, they have to drive somewhere to drink it so they don't get caught, and then still be home in time for curfew. Recipe for disaster ... and tragedy.

What can we do about enforcing this law? My mom was the first line of defense for my brother, but she could not patrol him 24/7. I know his disobeys it now, cramming five kids in his car to drive to lunch (after six months, new drivers are only supposed to have one passenger under 21). Both my mom and I berate him about it, but he sometimes acts like he is above the law. Can police officers, who already have so much on their plate, start handing out ticket after ticket to teens carting around carloads of their friends? Is an enforcement program something that needs government funding? Is enforcement of this law something that would even reduce the number of teens hurt or killed in car accidents? Is there a bigger issue here?

Please leave your comments below or click here to contribute your thoughts.

Click here to read the release about the accident from Lakewood Police.

Click here to read a reaction piece by Bear Creek student Hannah Smith.

Click here to read remembrances of Samara by Bear Creek student Lauren Harvey.