Advocates gather at the Missouri Capitol for Distracted Driving Awareness Day

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KY3) - Monday was Distracted Driving Awareness Day at the Missouri Capitol. Advocated gathered to raise awareness of what can happen in a split second when you aren’t paying attention.

Adrienne Siddens recalls the moment she got a call that eventually changed her life.

“My heart just stopped,” said Siddens.

Her husband had been hit while helping out at an event in Columbia.

Her husband would later die from his injuries.

Adrienne’s at the Capitol advocating for a bill named after her husband and another person killed by a distracted driver called the Siddens Bening Hands-Free Law.

“When we’re talking about hands-free bills, Missouri to be the 31st state in the country to have some sort of hands-free bill on the books, we, of course, would then leave the list for one of only two states that does that doesn’t prohibit all drivers from texting and driving,” said Nick Chabarria, Public Affairs Specialist for AAA.

The bill has already passed the Missouri Senate. It would make it against the law for any person driving in Missouri to text and drive or hold a phone up to your ear. You can use electronics hands-free only.

Siddens says nothing is as important as your life.

“Just put your phone down. I mean, that’s all just your phone is not important in the grand scheme of things. I mean, if there was a fire and you’re running out of your house, I don’t think that you would grab your phone over your family,” said Siddens.

This bill will be debated in a committee on Tuesday. If it gets out of the committee, it will head to the full Missouri House of Representatives. And if passed, it will go to the governor.

Lawmakers only have three more weeks left in this year’s session.

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