North Carolina family pushing tougher distracted driving penalties

RALEIGH, North Carolina (WTVD) -- A North Carolina family is on a mission to push lawmakers to adopt tougher penalties for distracted drivers.

Jeannette Nash says the last month has been trying for her family after losing her son John Nash III in a wreck. Nash and his fiancée were riding a motorcycle when a Hope Mills teen crash into the couple.

"We're afraid to go to sleep because we're going to see visions of John and his fiancée. They were so happy," Jeannette said. "We had to empty his house and sell his car. It's been very difficult."

Investigators said the teen look down at her cell phone, which was used for GPS at the time.

The teen has since been charged with a misdemeanor.

"I look at it like a traffic citation. It's a slap on the wrist," said Nash's brother Jim.

"They need to make the lines clearly defined because what's on the books right now in North Carolina doesn't include the use of GPS. They do not include using apps while driving," said Nash's sister Amber Ball.

The family started a petition and has been collecting signatures.

On Saturday, many came together for a fundraiser at the Korner Pocket in Raleigh to support the family's mission.

Several people signed the petition while at the fundraiser.

Legislation has been filed in the General Assembly, but it is sitting in a Senate Committee.

The family believes that tougher laws could save someone else.

"We just got to stay positive and try to make the change happen," said Jim Nash.

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