Advocates gather at Missouri Capitol to advocate for stricter distracted driving laws

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KY3) - Many gathered at the Missouri State Capitol to advocate for harsher distracted driving laws.

They joined speakers who had impactful stories and lawmakers working to pass legislation related to distracted driving. Andrienne Siddens lost her husband, Randall, in May 2019 after a distracted driver drove right into him as he was cleaning up cones from a race in Columbia.

”I’m a victim’s advocate, I lost my husband to a distracted driving accident. In 2019 he was hit during a triathlon cleanup and died six months later. So I’m here advocating to affect legislative change and get the law changed to hopefully help avoid this happening to any other families,” said Siddens.

She was one of many who spoke at the event in Jefferson City, raising awareness for distracted driving and advocating for stronger laws. She wants people to put their phones down and keep their heads up.

”Putting your phone down is as serious as not driving drunk. You know, we all know that that is super serious,” said Siddens.

In the Show-Me-State there have been 577 people killed from distracted driving since 2015.

“This isn’t a party issue. Let me make clear this isn’t an issue about seatbelts. This is an issue that looks more like drunk driving,“ said State Senator Greg Razier, D- Kansas City.

As for Siddens, she says she’s taking it one step at a time.

”We are still just making it a day at a time,” said Siddens. “I miss Rambo so much. His kids are our, our kids are young enough that they didn’t know him really. That’s not they don’t feel the loss the same way that that older kids might, um, I feel that for them, I know what they’re missing in their dad.”

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