PennDOT Honors Woman Whose Father Was Killed by Distracted Driver

OIL CITY, Pa. (EYT) – The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) honored Michelle Gallatin-Baughman with a Survivor Advocacy Award during the 2018 Traffic Safety Conference. The honor was given based on her work to draw awareness to the dangers of distracted driving.

Pictured above: Michelle Gallatin-Baughman (fourth from left), was awarded a Survivor Advocacy Award by the PennDOT highway safety unit. She is pictured with Tom Glass of PennDOT, her husband Jamie Baughman and mother Mary Lou Gallatin, both of Lawrence County, and Jill Harry of PennDOT.

Michelle Gallatin-Baughman, along with her family of Lawrence County, was instrumental in the passing of Daniel’s Law, which went into effect in January 2017. The law increased the penalties for drivers who text while driving and cause a fatal or serious injury crash. The punishments are now five years in prison for a fatal crash and two years for a serious injury crash.

Along with working to change the Pennsylvania laws, Gallatin-Baughman volunteers as a safety advocate in memory of her father, Daniel Gallatin, who was killed by a distracted driver in 2013. Her efforts included high school presentations and other public speaking engagements throughout the northwest region of Pennsylvania.

In recognition of her work to decrease distracted driving, Gallatin-Baughman was awarded a Survivor Advocacy Award during the statewide 2018 Traffic Safety Conference, held at State College in April. Other honorees included Guz’s Charitable Project of Schuylkill County, Owen’s Foundation of Dauphin County, and Missy Sweitzer of York County.

Additional information on Daniel’s Law is available through the group’s Facebook page.

For more information on PennDOT and highway safety, go online to www.penndot.gov/safety.

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