Teen's father asks others to put away phone after daughter dies in crash

CLEVELAND, TX -- The pain of losing a child to distracted driving is all too real for Mike Myers. In 2014, his 18-year-old daughter, Elana, was tragically killed in a single-vehicle crash while driving distracted on her way home from college.

"If Elana's death has any purpose, I hope that it teaches others the dangers of driving while distracted," Myers said. "I dream that there was a way to hit the rewind button so she could learn the lesson without having to pay the price."

With more than 100,000 statewide traffic crashes involving distracted driving each year, the Texas Department of Transportation is hoping Elana's story will reach more people and reduce crashes. In April, TxDOT kicks off its annual "Talk, Text, Crash" campaign that urges drivers to put away cell phones, avoid distractions and give the road their full attention. TxDOT's safety campaign coincides with National Distracted Driving Awareness Month in April.

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