Father wants to end distracted driving

YELLOW SPRINGS, Ohio (WDTN) - Tragedy has prompted a Yellow Springs father to attempt to change the state one community at a time. After losing his 5-year-old daughter in a tragic crash, Jaye Drummond wants the village to ban all cell phone use while driving. He made his case in front of village council members Monday.

"I'm just hoping that my daughter can still change things, even though she's gone. Somehow," Drummond said.

Lauren Drummond was killed in August 2011 when a driver rear ended the family car as it slowed for a deer crossing U.S. 40. Drummond believes that the driver, Hannah Gough, 22, was texting and didn't see the slow moving car in front of her.

Drummond said because the state of Ohio has been slow moving to pass legislation on distracted driving, his mission is to convince area communities to enact their own ordinances. Although he admits such a law is hard to enforce, Drummond said there is an answer.

"What it's going to have to be is ban all cell use because you can't distinguish what someone's doing," he said.

Yellow Springs has been hit particularly hard by distracted driving. Sarah Wildman, who works for the village, lost her son in a crash in October 2010. It is believed that 20-year-old Eben Wildman was texting while driving. He was acting as a designated driver that night.

"Got his friends home carefully and safely and didn't make it, another mile and a half and he would have been with me. It didn't happen," Wildman said.

It seems that this time, Drummond's concerns have been heard. Council members were open to the idea of passing an ordinance.

"I would like to suggest to council and if there are any other ideas to take a look at this and see what can be done here locally," said Judith Hempfling, Yellow Springs Village Council.

Gough is scheduled to appear in court Feb. 9. She is facing misdemeanor charge in Lauren's death.