West Texas Family Still Working For Texting & Driving Ban
By: Monica Yantosh, everythinglubbock.com
Updated: January 25, 2013
WELLMAN -- Jeanne Brown said since her daughter died in a car accident in 2009 when
she was texting while driving, the entire Brown family has been working
to speak out about the dangers of texting while driving.
"I think anytime you take a bad situation and turn it good, it helps," said Jeanne.
In 2011, the State legislature passed a ban on texting while driving, but Governor Rick Perry vetoed the ban, saying it micromanaged what adults could do in their cars.
"We have a cure to what's happening in our society with people dying from texting while driving, and we need to share that," said Jeanne.
This time around, the family is hoping for a different outcome. "If a texting while driving law is passed, where it is illegal to text while driving, he's not actually taking any freedoms away from us," said Jeanne Brown about Governor Perry previously vetoing the ban. "I hope he can see what he's actually doing is he's freeing us up to be safe on the highways."
They will be joined by 20 other families who are also victims of distracted driving.
Katrina was only 11 when Alex died, and said it has not become easier to deal with her death three years later.
"It's hard sometimes you know, we'll go through day by day with a smile on our faces and be fine, but you know then there are those days where we are just torn apart," said Katrina.
Jeanne said she thinks Alex would be proud of their work, trying to stop others from feeling their family's pain. "I'm just humbled, that people still listen," said Jeanne. "I mean Alex was wonderful to us, and I've said it before, we'll never forget her."
"I think anytime you take a bad situation and turn it good, it helps," said Jeanne.
In 2011, the State legislature passed a ban on texting while driving, but Governor Rick Perry vetoed the ban, saying it micromanaged what adults could do in their cars.
"We have a cure to what's happening in our society with people dying from texting while driving, and we need to share that," said Jeanne.
This time around, the family is hoping for a different outcome. "If a texting while driving law is passed, where it is illegal to text while driving, he's not actually taking any freedoms away from us," said Jeanne Brown about Governor Perry previously vetoing the ban. "I hope he can see what he's actually doing is he's freeing us up to be safe on the highways."
They will be joined by 20 other families who are also victims of distracted driving.
Katrina was only 11 when Alex died, and said it has not become easier to deal with her death three years later.
"It's hard sometimes you know, we'll go through day by day with a smile on our faces and be fine, but you know then there are those days where we are just torn apart," said Katrina.
Jeanne said she thinks Alex would be proud of their work, trying to stop others from feeling their family's pain. "I'm just humbled, that people still listen," said Jeanne. "I mean Alex was wonderful to us, and I've said it before, we'll never forget her."
