FocusDriven Board Member Speaks at National Conference

Jacy Good invited to tell her story at leading forum for women

RIVER FOREST, Ill., Nov. 2, 2010 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Jacy Good, board member of FocusDriven – Advocates for Cell-Free Driving, told the story of losing her parents due to distracted driving at The Women's Conference 2010, the nation's premier forum for women. The three-day conference, hosted Oct. 24 to 26 by California first lady Maria Shriver and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, drew more than 30,000 women to hear discussions and addresses by some of today's most influential people.

Jacy spoke during the conference's "It's Time to Talk About Overcoming the Unimaginable" breakout conversations. She was joined on stage by journalists Lisa Ling and Laura Ling, Executive Vice-President of Government and Public Affairs for BP America Crystal Ashby, Executive Director of Tostan Molly Melching, and David Goldman, a father who fought to bring his son home from Brazil for half a decade. Each participant underwent a life-changing tragedy and survived. Jacy told attendees about her college graduation day, when the vehicle she and her parents were in was hit by a tractor trailer that swerved to miss a cell phone distracted driver. Jacy's parents were killed on the scene, and Jacy was given only a 10 percent chance of surviving the night. Now, two years later, Good is working with FocusDriven to enact laws to make driving while talking on a cell phone illegal.

Good's forum was one of 14 breakout conversations that addressed a diverse range of topics. The lineup of speakers and participants included first lady Michelle Obama, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Diane Sawyer, Goldie Hawn, Robert Redford, Matt Lauer and Jillian Michaels.

"Jacy's story is horrific, but she puts a face on a terrible tragedy, and that will help us enact change," said Jennifer Smith, president of FocusDriven. "We're honored that one of our board members is able to tell her story at such a nationally important event."

For more information on the conference, visit www.womensconference.org.

FocusDriven – Advocates for Cell-Free Driving (focusdriven.org) is a nonprofit advocacy organization for victims of motor vehicle crashes involving drivers using cell phones. FocusDriven supports victims of cell phone distracted driving and families of victims. Its goal is to increase public awareness on the dangers of cell phone distracted driving by putting a human face on the disastrous impact of the behavior, in order to promote corresponding public policies, programs and personal responsibility.

SOURCE FocusDriven