Meridian, ID, city council unanimously passes Kassy's Law

I want to thank Mayor Tammy de Weerd and the City Council of Meridian, Idaho, for passing "Kassy's Law," a local measure banning texting while driving.

The new law honors the memory of Kassandra Kerfoot, an 18-year-old who died December 29, 2009, from injuries sustained in a crash. Kassy had been texting just before losing control of her car and drifting into oncoming rush-hour traffic.

Kassandra Kerfoot (April 21, 1991 - December 29, 2009) and the remains of her vehicle

Since then Kassy's mother, Liz Catherman, has been an outspoken advocate in the campaign against distracted driving.

From producing a poster to hang in Meridian High, where Kassy graduated in June 2009, to testifying in the Idaho legislature in support of a statewide texting ban, to telling her story at our recent Distracted Driving Summit, Liz has been tireless in her efforts to make our roads safer.

"This is real. I want others to know this can happen to anybody," Catherman said at our summit.

Last night, she thanked the city leaders of Meridian for their support of the new ban:

"Hopefully it will make teens stop and think twice--you know, this was my friend--and hopefully they show respect for Kassy and just hang up and focus on what they're supposed to be doing in their cars--driving."

 

Comments

[Craig Hearn]

Once again Ray, the key word here is ENFORCEMENT. We have a left lane law in Illinois or I should say I read where they passed a left lane law. Seems very few people I tell that to know it and even fewer do it.
In KY they have the law posted on the roadway every few miles and yet from the time I enter Ky till the time I leave it, the Nonprofessional driver has no visible compunction about not only NOT obeying the POSTED LAW, law enfocement DOES NOTHING when the law is BLATENTLY BROKEN right in front of them.
ENFORCEMENT RAY!! ENFORCEMENT!!

[Craig Hearn]

Teens should not be able to do ANYTHING other than drive while behind the wheel. PERIOD!! We have limited the number of passengers they can have and the hours of day they can drive. WHY have we not banned ALL other actvity when behind the wheel for teens. The single highest risk group and we're hesitating to do EVERYTHING we can to protect them from themselves?!!?
The parents are the second biggest issue when dealing with teens. Most parents are no better drivers than their kids. Solely experience and other alert drivers save many of these people. I have saved several just in the last couple weeks. I determined what would be the least rational and logical decision for the situation and planned for the EXACT opposite. This is the "on road " life of a professional driver. BABYSITTING OTHER ADULTS who get to go home because the lowlife trucker did NOT run over them when they cut the semi off, passing so close that the back end of the car disappears, and of course, with turn signals now no longer standard equipment, there was no way to prepare for the "on the fly" decision to tempt fate AGAIN.

[Sam White]

Sorry about your loss, Team textkills.com would love to be able to help in any way we can, We have a technology we have built and have been working around the clock as the minutemen
of today to help curb this epidemic, So please if you read this and would like to join as an alliance we understand that things need to happen now so that another parent doesn't have to experience what you have. thank you so much, Sam

[Jessica Antoniac]

Dear Secretary LaHood,
Thank you for all you have done and continue to do to support the fight against distracted driving.
My name is Jessica Antoniac, and I am an avid supporter of ending cell phone distracted driving.
As a new mother I am more than ever overwhelmed by stories like this one, and by the alarming statistics surrounding this epidemic. I fear driving on the road due to the seemingly increasing number of drivers I see either talking or texting on phones. Even worse I am afraid to push my daughter's stroller down the once safe roads in the quaint New Hampshire town in which we live.
I have great sympathy for families like this one that have been tragically affected by distracted driving as my father was involved in a motor vehicle accident several years ago when his car was hit by a driver who failed to stop at a stop sign. The driver was talking on a cell phone - a small child in the back seat... Luckily no one was seriously injured in my story but as we know this is not the case for so many, TOO many others.
As an outlet for my frustration regarding this issue I created the PLS DRIVE SAFELY vehicle magnet to "do my part" in spreading the word that talking/texting while driving is dangerous. These 4" vehicle magnets can easily be affixed onto any vehicle and promote safe driving and visibly alert other drivers to focus on the road.
I am preparing to kickoff a campaign to distribute the PLS DRIVE SAFELY vehicle magnets through all possible avenues in an effort to gain public awareness of this deadly behavior. Some of the avenues I plan to pursue include working with Middle/High Schools, student groups, local and national fundraising groups such as SAAD, parent groups, etc.
I am committed to helping end cell phone distracted driving and will proudly donate 10% of profits received from the sale of the vehicle magnets to causes affected by and working to end cell phone distracted driving. (I plan to initially donate to FocusDriven, but do not want to limit donations to one organization.)
I have been invited to attend the groundbreaking ceremony for the Wachusett Commuter Rail Extension & Station in Fitchburg, Massachusetts on Monday, 10/18/10. I am in favor of public transportation as an alternative to distracted driving for those with the need to talk/text while commuting.
I look forward to the possibility of meeting you, and to an opportunity to thank you in person at this event.
Sincerely,
Jessica Antoniac
PLS DRIVE SAFELY
Rindge, NH

[Tori S.]

Im doing my senior project on Ord. 10-1457 (Kassy's law) and I have done a lot of research. most of my sorces explain how TEENS shouldnt do this, they shouldnt do that. how come everyone believes that teens are the cause of all wrong things in this world? I'm not saying teens do not text and drive, but that adults do it as well. teens need a little more credit then most people give us. we are the the future, if we are always getting put down and told that we cause so many wrong things, we are not going to improve. I for a fact have never and will never text and drive, many teens are not addicted to their cell phones and need a little more credit.I know many adults that can not put their cell phones down and are addicted to such technology. In conclusion I think that all that is "wrong" should not be blamed on teens. thank you.