PHOTO BY TRISH PFEIFFER

Feeling fortunate to be alive and barely injured, three Bartow teenagers stand in front of the car they were riding in that flipped over on U.S. Highway 98 North in front of Bartow Regional Medical Center. Cathrine Pfeiffer (left) and Murphy Stidham, the driver, hold rosaries which were in the car and they believe helped protect them. Also in the car was Andrew Tedder. The three were on their way to interview for The Ledger’s Silver Garland Award, but said they were told they would not be allowed to reschedule their interviews despite the wreck. Traveling north toward Lakeland, Stidham said she swerved to avoid a car pulling out from the hospital entrance. Her car went into the median, flipped onto its roof and ended up on the shoulder of the southbound lane. Traffic was reduced to one lane southbound until the wreckage was cleared. The students are firm believers that seat belts save lives. Cathrine’s mother, Trish Pfeiffer, called their lack of injury “miracle.” A number of motorists are still concerned over the speed limit in that area and believe it should be 45 until north of the hospital entrance.