Texting drivers need to be corralled

When Oprah taped her powerful show on "distracted driving," I was there. One year ago, my innocent 5-year-old son Adam was killed. The driver told police he was "looking down." He never touched the brakes, and at 55 mph, impacted our stationary car and my son's life was taken.

I was certain the offender's driver's license would be taken or at least questioned, but no. In accordance with the laws of Illinois, my son's death was handled in petty traffic court. The driver was convicted of speeding and failure to read road conditions. He was given no jail time, no community service, no remedial drivers education, no accountability.

I felt alone and unheard until Oprah's show on distracted drivers gave this issue a face and a voice. In the after-show, guests revealed something to Oprah and the audience. They told us drivers were texting while driving to the taping of the show. The audience gasped.

Oprah passionately declared she would not tolerate that behavior. If repeated, drivers would be fired. If that limousine service did not change its policy to ban that behavior today, she would drop the limo service. My heart was warmed with the audience's recognition of the need for change and Oprah's response.

Then my heart sank with the reality that even under the new texting laws, if those limo drivers texted while driving to Oprah's show and had caused an accident or killed someone here in my home state, Oprah's home state, President Obama's home state, the worst punishment they would incur would be Oprah firing them.

Lawmakers, please take action. Distracted driving doesn't belong in petty traffic court. Our lives are too precious.

Cheryl Miller

Bolingbrook