U.S. Department of Transportation Releases New “Faces of Distracted Driving” Video

Kristin Murphy of Naples, Florida, Speaks About the Loss of Her Daughter Chelsey

WASHINGTON – U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today released the latest video in the U.S. Department of Transportation’s “Faces of Distracted Driving” series.

The video features Kristin Murphy of Naples, Florida, who lost her 19-year-old daughter Chelsey in a distracted driving crash in 2010. Chelsey and her unborn child were killed when a teen driver talking on his cell phone struck her as she was crossing an intersection near her home.

Since her daughter’s death, Kristin Murphy has become an advocate for tougher distracted driving laws in Florida.

Watch: “Chelsey Murphy, 19” – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIEMsR6rtc8

“I applaud Kristin for all of the work she is doing to raise awareness about the deadly consequences of distracted driving,” said Secretary LaHood. “I hope that everyone who hears about the loss of her daughter Chelsey will remember to keep their eyes on the road and their hands on the wheel.”

“Look at what distracted driving has taken from me. I’ve lost my daughter, and I’ll never know my grandchild,” said Kristin Murphy. “No one should ever have to experience this kind of loss because of a text or phone call.”

“Faces of Distracted Driving” is a video series exploring the tragic consequences of texting and cell phone use while driving. It features people from across the country who have been injured or lost loved ones in distracted driving crashes. In 2009, nearly 5,500 people died and half a million were injured in accidents involving a distracted driver. The series is part of Secretary LaHood’s effort to raise greater awareness about the dangers of distracted driving.