MARANA, Ariz. (KGUN) — April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month, and one Pima County mother is continuing her mission to turn personal tragedy into purpose.
Julie Festerling founded the nonprofit Phones Down, Just Drive in 2021, after losing her daughter Caitlin and Caitlin’s boyfriend, Paul Garcia, to a distracted driver in 2019. Now four years into her advocacy work, the message is expanding thanks to a partnership with the Pima County Sheriff’s Department.
If you've been driving around Pima County recently, you may have noticed the message popping up on the backs of patrol cars and even displayed on the marquees of local schools: a clear reminder to put your phone away while driving.
“That tells us that what we are doing is important,” Festerling said. “It means other people care about our community too. We’re having too many incidents, too many tragedies that can be prevented.”
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, distracted driving claimed more than 3,200 lives in 2023.
To support the nonprofit’s mission, Phones Down, Just Drive received a $70,000 grant from the local philanthropic group 100+ Women Who Care. The grant is funding outreach efforts across the county—including vehicle decals, a series of public service announcements and school-based education.
PCSD has joined the campaign by not only displaying decals on patrol vehicles, but also by partnering to help educate the next generation of drivers. The two groups are working to get school resource officers to join the effort to bring the message into classrooms.
“I’m hoping that these kids learn healthy driving habits from the start,” Festerling said. “They’re learning from their parents that it’s okay to text and drive—and it’s not. It’s not okay to watch videos when driving.”
While Sheriff Chris Nanos was unavailable for an interview, he issued a statement supporting the campaign:
“The Pima County Sheriff’s Department supports the non-profit ‘Phones Down, Just Drive’ and its important efforts in educating motorists about the dangers of inattentive driving and the devastating consequences."
As for Festerling, she says the push to expand the message is her way of honoring Caitlin and Paul.
“So how do we keep going?” she said. “We know Caitlin and Paul are looking down from heaven. They’re guiding us. They’re just like, ‘Come on, go, go.’”
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Kenny Darr is a reporter for KGUN 9. He joined the team in January 2023. Before arriving in Arizona he was an Anchor and Reporter at KADN in Lafayette, LA. Share your story ideas with Kenny by emailing kenny.darr@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.
