Please sign our petition to ban hand-held phone use on the roadways of Virginia. Tell Virginia legislators that it is time to end the epidemic of distracted driving!

On August 27, 2013, the Dempsey family’s lives were changed forever when a flatbed truck rear-ended their car, killing Bethany (37), Lauren (14), and Abigail (7). Nine other people were involved in the eight-vehicle pileup. Because he was distracted, the man who caused the crash didn’t see that traffic in front of him had slowed. His truck plowed into the family’s car at 55 miles per hour. Three wonderful people – sisters, a mom, cousins, grandchildren – were gone in an instant.

“My father and I have dedicated our lives to public service and have seen many tragic crashes, but nothing could have prepared us for the devastating loss our family suffered,” says Bethany's sister Christina Dempsey.

Twenty-four year-old Lanie Kruszewski was tragically killed on July 29, 2012 as she rode her bicycle home from work. She was struck by a driver who was using his phone and claimed he did not see her. A white "ghost bike" stands in her memory near the spot where she died.

"Holidays will never be the same for my family since my daughter Lanie was killed," says Lanie's mom, Patty Kruszewski. "But I know Lanie would not want us to be grieving during her favorite season of the year. She would want us to work to make sure that other families don't suffer the way ours has."

Consider this: 

• 2016 was the deadliest year on American roads in nearly a decade and 2017 is trending even higher. So far this year, there has been a 16% increase in traffic fatalities in Virginia. 
• A Virginia Tech study (involving commercial vehicle drivers) showed that manipulating a phone while driving increased crash risk by 2300%.

This is a growing problem and the time to act is NOW! We MUST have a strong, enforceable law or even more lives will be lost. Help us today by signing this petition and sharing your concern with your legislators. 

DRIVE SMART Virginia is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded on the principle that traffic fatalities and injuries are preventable. We are dedicated to raising traffic safety awareness among all road users in order to save lives and reduce injuries on the roadways of Virginia. To learn more about our programs and how you can help visit www.drivesmartva.org.