DVD released to educate drivers on dangers of texting

TAYLORSVILLE — "I truly regret what I have done," a humbled Reggie Shaw said through tears.

On Sept. 22, 2006, Shaw was driving to work while sending and receiving text messages on his cell phone. Within seconds, Shaw drifted into oncoming traffic and clipped a car, causing it to spin out of control and collide with an oncoming truck at a combined rate of speed of close to 100 mph, according to prosecuting attorney Don Linton.

The impact of the crash killed Keith Patrick O'Dell and Jim Furfaro, who were on their way to work at Alliant Techsystems.

"It is a mistake I cannot take back and I cannot change. I will live with it for the rest of my life," Shaw told a crowd during a news conference Wednesday.

The Utah Department of Transportation in partnership with the Utah Department of Public Safety introduced a DVD that educates and illustrates the personal impact that one driver's cell phone texting played in the death of two men. Shaw gives his personal account of his mistake in the DVD. He was charged with two class A misdemeanors for negligent homicide, served 30 days in jail and was ordered to perform 100 hours of community service, which includes giving presentations to all middle schools and high schools in Cache, Box Elder and Rich counties.

He was Utah's last texting driver to receive "such a light sentence," according to the DVD presentation.

Shaw believes many don't understand the magnitude texting while driving can have until they see it firsthand.

"I have known personal friends who have seen our prosecuting of Reggie Shaw, and they have stopped texting in the car," said Cache County Attorney James Swink.

The growing problem isn't just a problem among teens. More than 40 percent of adults engage in texting or have recently, according to Swink, who said there is "a lot of work to be done."

Swink said the victims' families are also doing their best to educate others about the dangers of texting while driving.

"(The family) has been wonderful. They want the message to get out how serious texting (while driving) is," he said. Both men "were very accomplished engineers and scientists that developed rocket motors. … They were killed. It's as tragic as you can get."

A new law banning texting while driving went into effect May 12 in Utah. Fourteen other states have similar bans. Utah Highway Patrol troopers say they continually investigate accidents where texting is a contributing factor.

"It is an everyday occurrence. We have actually seen motorcycle riders texting while they are riding their motorcycle, it is that out of control," said UHP Col. Daniel Fuhr.