On December 1, 2010, 2-year-old Calli Ann Murray and her mother Ling were walking home from a park just blocks from their home. As they crossed the street, a young driver texting on her cell phone struck Calli and Ling with her car. Calli was killed instantly, and Ling was critically injured. Al Andres, Calli's grandfather, is now an advocate against distracted driving.
"At just 2 years old, Calli Ann Murray was a joy to her family and had her entire future ahead of her -- a future that was cut tragically short because of a text message," said Secretary LaHood. "I hope all drivers who hear her story will remember to keep their eyes on the road, their hands on the wheel, and their cell phones in the glove compartment."
"Even though we lost Calli, we want our experience to change other people's behavior," said Andres. "Paying attention to a text message in the car and not paying attention to the road can cause you to kill somebody in a split second."
"Faces of Distracted Driving" is a video series that raises awareness about the potentially tragic consequences of texting and using cell phones while driving by sharing the stories of families who have been affected by this deadly epidemic. In 2010, over 3,000 people died in crashes related to distracted driving. The series is part of Secretary LaHood's ongoing efforts to raise greater awareness about the dangers of distracted driving.
Source: http://www.dot.gov/affairs/2012/dot5312.html
