Ms. Standifird is an author, advocate, and nationally recognized voice on distracted driving and road safety reform. After losing her son Andrew in a preventable crash, she brings rare credibility to the conversation—combining her longtime experience in the legal industry with the perspective of a grieving mother navigating the court system as a client.
A preventable crash can turn parents into reluctant policy experts overnight. In the wake of tragedy, families like Sarah Standifird’s are forced to learn transportation law, civil procedure, and bureaucratic processes—skills they never asked for—just to fight for accountability and safer roads.
I had a chance to learn more in this interview.
Why don’t traditional “don’t text and drive” campaigns include social media as well?
I think a big part of the problem is that those campaigns were created in a different era. They were built around texting—quick, momentary distractions. But social media, especially platforms like TikTok, are completely different. It’s immersive. It’s designed to hold your attention for as long as possible. You’re not just glancing at a message—you’re watching, scrolling, engaging. The messaging simply hasn’t caught up with how people actually use their phones today. We’re still talking about texting, while drivers are essentially consuming entertainment behind the wheel.
It may seem obvious to some people how phones can lead to distracted driving, but why is phone use—especially social media—still a problem?
Because people underestimate it. They think, “I’ll just check one thing quickly,” or “I can handle it.” Social media makes that even worse because it pulls you in. One video turns into five. Five turns into ten. And suddenly, your attention is gone. The driver who caused my son Andrew’s crash wasn’t sending a quick text. He was actively on social media. That level of distraction is closer to watching TV than it is to sending a message. And yet, many people still don’t see it that way. There’s also a false sense of control, and many people believe they can multitask better than they actually can.
What are some of the facts behind distracted driving?
What people need to understand is that distracted driving isn’t just dangerous, it’s one of the leading causes of preventable crashes. Taking your eyes off the road for even a few seconds can be the difference between stopping safely and causing a collision. At highway speeds, a few seconds means you’ve traveled the length of a football field without really looking. Now imagine doing that while watching a video. That’s the reality we’re dealing with. And the consequences aren’t minor, they’re life-altering. Families are losing loved ones every single day because of something that is entirely preventable.
How can communities advocate for tougher laws to improve road safety?
It starts with awareness, but it can’t end there. Communities need to speak up at local meetings, with lawmakers, through schools, and through advocacy groups. Share real stories, because statistics alone don’t always move people, but human stories do. Push for laws that reflect how people actually use their phones today, not how they used them ten years ago. That means specifically addressing social media use behind the wheel, not just texting. It also means supporting stronger enforcement and real consequences. I always say this: change happens when enough people decide that what’s happening isn’t acceptable anymore. We have to be willing to have those conversations and keep pushing until safety becomes the priority it should have been all along.
Sarah Standifird is an author, advocate, and nationally recognized voice on distracted driving and road safety reform. After losing her son Andrew in a preventable crash, she brings rare credibility to the conversation—combining her longtime experience in the legal industry with the perspective of a grieving mother navigating the court system as a client. Her forthcoming book, Citizen’s Prey (March 28), exposes the hidden realities families face in the aftermath of sudden loss, from strict legal deadlines to systemic failures that prioritize profit over human lives.
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