Personal Tragedy Spurs Creation of Group to Combat Distracted Drivers

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Credit Steve Newborn / WUSF

Jennifer Smith with U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and a victim of distracted driving

Five years ago, her mother was killed in a car crash caused by a driver who was distracted by a cell phone.

After Jennifer Smith laid her mother to rest, she embarked on a new cause - making sure this doesn't happen to someone else.

Smith, who lives in suburban Chicago, is in Tampa today to help kick off the state's first Distracted Driving Summit.

She's starting the Distraction Advocate Network, a nationwide group committed to raising awareness of the impact of distracted driving.

She says this is not only aimed at preventing other daughters - or  mothers  or sons - from having to go through what she did, but it's also a form of therapy - trying to make sure that their losses were not in vain.