Nearly 25% of all car crashes involve cell phone use
Gloria and Chuck Wilhelm were in downtown Chicago celebrating their 35th wedding anniversary when they received a call that every parent hopes nevers comes.
"It was a beautiful fall day and we were downtown Chicago celebrating when we got a call from a hopsital in Urbana saying you need to come immediately,' recalled Gloria Wilhelm.
Their son Matt, 25, a recent graduate of the mechanical engineering program at the University of Illinois, was on his bike when he was struck and killed by a teenage driver. She was downloading ringtones on her cell phone.
Since the accident in September of 2006, the Wilhelms campaigned and eventually saw the passage of Illinois Matt's law which bans texting while driving, as well as, banning the use of cell phones by drivers in school and constructions.
The National Safety Council reports that nearly 25% of all automobile crashes involves the driver's use of a cell phone. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood, says that "distracted driving ia a deadly epidemic."
FocusDriven, a group wich LaHood helped establish. is similar to M.A.D.D. The group supports legislation that bans the use of cell phones by drivers. Focusdriven.org provides research and stories of people and their families who fell victim to distracted drivers.
The Wilhelms, pleased with Matt's law and its banning of texting while driving, are not finished in their fight. They are now pushing for legislation which makes an accident caused by distracted driving a criminal offense of negligent vehicular homicide-a misdemeanor- in such instances. Currently, the punishment is a fine and a moving violation of improper lane usage.
"This is all about choice. If people choose to be distracted, they should be liable for more than that," said Chuck Wilhelm. "People are not going to change behaviors without a strong deterrent."
