Illinois Senate supports roadside markers for reckless driving victims; bill advances to General Assembly

Yesterday, thousands of you read about AT&T's powerful anti-texting campaign where relatives of victims share the final text that caused their loved one's death.

Today, I want to talk about a different kind of distracted driving and a different kind of hero, Cheryl Miller of Illinois.

Cheryl and Adam

All she wants is a memorial marker for her son Adam. Here is Adam's story in her words:

On November 15, 2008, a driver reached down to pick up a just-purchased cigar that rolled off his passenger seat. He decided to do this as he sped 10 miles over the posted speed limit of 45 mph.

The black box recorder from his car says he never touched the brakes as he plowed into the back of a stationary car whose warning lights were flashing with the inside lights on as well. Inside the car, my husband was calling to tell me our car had a flat tire. He and Adam needed me to pick them up. Then came the impact...the impact that left my husband's nose broken by the slight frame of his glasses,...the impact that pushed our car 173 feet and that left a 3+ foot intrusion into the back of our car, the impact that killed my beautiful 5 year old boy.

In accordance with the laws of Illinois, my son's death was handled in petty traffic court. The driver was convicted of speeding and failure to read road conditions. He was given a ticket. No jail time, no community service, no remedial drivers education, a ticket. My beautiful 5 year old boy.

How difficult is it to get a road-sign posted to memorialize the victim of a distracted driver?

Well, it turns out that, unless the driver was drunk, it's impossible. Unless you want to fight a heroic battle to change Illinois' Roadside Memorial Act.

And that is exactly what Cheryl Miller has been doing for over a year.

By telling her story everywhere she could, from Facebook to blogs and even to the Oprah Winfrey Show, Cheryl succeeded in building a network of Illinoisans to press their State Senators to keep Senate Bill 3803 moving through the Senate and--finally--to vote for it.

And, yes, last week the Illinois Senate passed SB 3803 unanimously.

Now, however, her fight must continue, and she will have to rally those same supporters to reach out to their State Representatives. Without a rest, Cheryl will get back to work urging people to asking their legislators to back Illinois House Sponsor Sid Mathias and keep that bill moving forward.

As Cheryl says, "I want to thank Jim Dodge of State Senator John Cullerton's office for his help, but now it's time to get back to work to keep this moving on the other side."

I admire Cheryl's tireless efforts not only to keep Adam's memory alive, but to give the victims of reckless and distracted driving the same status as victims of drunk driving.

Loss is loss. And whatever kind of unsafe behavior led to that loss, a marker offers an effective way of remembering the victim and helping to educate drivers about safer practices.

Picking up an item that has rolled off the seat. This is not a case of cell phone use or texting at the wheel; this is an ordinary, garden-variety distraction.

But listen to Cheryl's words carefully--"he decided to do this"--and it becomes clear that these acts are choices whether drivers give them a second thought or not. And, worst of all, these unsafe choices often have grave consequences--they make grieving mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, daughters, sons, wives, and husbands out of ordinary people.

Cheryl Miller never wanted to be a hero. She wanted to be a mother. And today, fighting for Illinois Senate Bill 3803, she will tell you she is only doing what comes naturally to her. She is being Adam's mother.

Comments

[Onedeadguy]

Ray. The moral of this story isn't signposts on the road. It's that there should be serious penalties for deaths on the road.

A ticket for a 5 year old boy? As someone who has lost a parent to a traffic accident, that is the real travesty.

[Diane Johnson]

My sincere condolences to Cheryl Miller on the tragic loss of her beautiful son Adam. Who do I email to help this pass in General Assembly? I'd like to help!

Diane Johnson, MN

[Lori Koidahl]

The driver who ran a red light and killed my Mom (8 seconds after the light was red) also only received a ticket. Fortunately the city in which she was killed as a pedestrian allowed me to put in place a memorial garden. It reminds all who see it that safe driving can save lives. http://www.seattlepi.com/jamieson/376189_robert23.html

[Michael W]

A freakin' TICKET for a homicide? Good grief. I wonder how fast the law would change if one of those elected representatives 5-year old son was killed by a horrid rear-end accident caused by a speeding, distracted driver?

[Michael E. Bailey]

I remember when we used to make trips back to Parke County, Indiana , in the 1960s and early 1970s that where ever there had been an accident on a state road where someone died, the state highway department put up a wooden cross. On some roads with curves on them, you would see a number of crosses. Back then people didn't have cell phones, but they did drive to fast, drink and drive, failed to ware seatbelts, and were busy doing other things and not paying attention to driving. Today, cell phones would certainly be added to the mix. But this is an idea that might make people stop and think and consider what they are doing before they do it and before it is too late. Best wishes, Michael E. Bailey.

[Treatment for]

I'm really touched , and I must agree with Onedeadguy . It's should be indeed more penalties for death . In this way people will be more careful , and this kind of tragedy will be more rare.

[Cheryl Miller]

Cheryl Miller here. I appreciate all the comments of support and feel you deserve a response.

As to whowm to e-mail to help the bill SB-3803 Memorial Sign Bill pass the House, please e-mail Repr. Mathias repmathias@hotmail.com. thankyou

As to- we need stiffer penalties.-OMG YES WE DO

Each state has its own laws or lack thereof regarding reckless yet sober drivers that cause fatalities.
Most advocacy groups on distracted driving taking a life tend
to focus soley on cell phone distractions legislation.
I was lucky to find Greg Zaffke of Illinois and his Black Nail Brigade Organization
(website as well as on facebook www.blacknailbrigade.org)
The Brigade supports appropriate penalties,laws ,and sentences for drivers who take precious lives due to any and ALL distracted , reckless, negligent driving.
. This is not the place to rally for support of one group or another. That is not my intention . There is just so much work to be done and I hope we can learn and support each other.

[Paper Mache Masks]

My sincere condolences to Cheryl Miller on the tragic loss of her beautiful son Adam. Who do I email to help this pass in General Assembly? I'd like to help!

Thanks Orlando

[masa]

cell phones would certainly be added to the mix. But this is an idea that might make people stop and think and consider what they are doing before they do it and before it is too lat nice share thanks.