This Woman Lost Both Her Parents to a Distracted Driver

It's the sort of accident that only happens to other people. That's what one woman believed before a distracted driver caused the death of both her parents and almost took her life, too.

Her name is Jacy Good and she has become one of the more vocal representatives of victims of distracted driving. As she tells it, she was riding in a car with her parents when a guy talking on his phone ran a red light. His error caused a truck driver to veer out of his way directly impacting their car. This is Jacy telling her story.

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Jacy's parents were pronounced dead at the scene of the accident. Jacy ended up in the hospital for months dealing with life-threatening injuries including many broken bones and a collapsed lung. Doctors only gave her a 10% chance of living through the first day after the accident. Fortunately, she overcame her injuries and is now helping everyone understand that this isn't just an accident that happens to others.

It's worth noting that the man driving the car that ran the red light was reportedly driving hands-free talking on his phone. Yet, he was still allegedly paying more attention to the call than the road. That brief moment of attention lacking now leaves Jacy without her parents and physical challenges she'll likely battle the rest of her life.

Drive Means Drive is an ongoing campaign to remind all of us that your attention needs to remain on the road and those driving around you and not on devices, food or anything else that can distract. The victim stories are real and it could be any of us. MODOT has more resources available to help you and those you love make every trip a safe one.

As a part of the ongoing "Drive Means Drive" campaign, MODOT's "Phone Down Day" is October 22, 2021. It's an encouragement to do the right thing and focus only on the road while driving. That good deed and daily responsibility saves lives. Maybe your own.