An 11th hour push in a mum’s road safety crusade saw her appear on ITV’s This Morning on Friday and a surge in signatures on a petition to Parliament.
But it may not be enough to find the 100,000 supporters Alice Husband needs for MPs to debate a ban on all mobile phone calls while driving.
Alice (42), from Tydd St Mary, also appeared on BBC1’s Look North and, with the help of journalist Kate Chapman, set up @Sign for Seth on Twitter and www.facebook.com/SignforSeth
Signatures almost doubled to top 20,000 but the petition deadlines on December 21.
Alice lost her son Seth Dixon (7) who was fatally injured in a road accident in December 2014 by a driver chatting hands free on a mobile phone.
Husband and wife This Morning presenters Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford spoke of their admiration for Alice over the way she forgave driver Amy Asker. ITV’s Loose Women also debated the subject.
At the inquest earlier this year, Coroner Paul Cooper concluded the phone chat had contributed to the tragedy.
Alice herself wasn’t criticised for asking Seth to cross the road to post a letter but, in the last few days, comments have been made on social media by parents who said they wouldn’t have allowed children of his age to cross the road alone.
Alice says both the police and social services investigated at the time and found no culpability on her part.
She says the remarks on social media didn’t amount to being trolled and it was just three people having a conversation among themselves.
The mum is pointing to a weight of evidence that shows all mobile phone calls distract drivers, saying it is as unacceptable as drink-driving and the impact on the driver is the same as driving while drunk.
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To sign the petition, visit https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/132875
Previously ...
Grieving mum: ‘Highway Code rule will not save lives’