Missouri family has one wish that could save lives this holiday season
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - A Missouri family has one Christmas wish: put down the phone while driving.
In just days, a new hands-free law will take effect in Missouri to give stronger punishments for offenders behind the wheel while using a device.
Stephany Bening changed what her family usually does for Christmas to fill the emptiness after her husband Mike was killed by a distracted driver on May 13, 2021. She is still fighting for safer roads, so your holidays don’t get ruined, and you also may save a life.
It was her husband’s favorite time of year, but now on Christmas all Stephany Bening is left with is memories from pictures.
“His big thing was he always wanted to spend Christmases at home,” Bening said. “So that was always a big tradition waking up just us and the kids. It is weird to think that it’s been so many years since that has happened.”
They’re going on four Christmases without Mike who was killed on I-49 back. Investigators determined that the woman behind the wheel was on her phone.
“Imagine the person closest to you, your best friend who you’ve done life with, imagine if they weren’t home with you tonight?” Bening said. “All because of someone not putting their phone down.”
The Missouri Highway Patrol says you have until Jan. 1st to put the phone down or you could go to jail.
“The first time a violation of this is $150, the second time is $250 and any third or subsequent offense can be upwards of $500,” Corporal Justin Ewing said. “Then if someone is seriously injured or killed from this it can lead to a felony.”
This Siddens Bening Hands-Free Law is partially named in Stephany’s husband’s honor. Even if it saves one life, that’s all she asks for this Christmas.
“My kids and I can detect when people are on their phones before we pull up on them because there’s just distraction that happens,” Bening said. “Even the most responsible people can look at their phones and be perfectly fine but in reality, it can cost someone their life.”
To enforce the Siddens Bening Hands-Free Law police must pull you over for a separate traffic violation. The Missouri Highway Patrol tells us it will be a priority when looking for speeders and investigating accidents.
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