2015 deaths of Ga. nursing students prompts call for text-free driving

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - Tonight, we’re remembering the loss of five Georgia Southern nursing students who were killed in a car accident along I-16.

It was six years ago today when a seven-car wreck took the lives of Emily Clark, Morgan Bass, Catherine Pittman, Abbie DeLoach, and Caitlyn Bagget. The crash happened on their last day of clinical rotations in their first year of nursing school.

The driver, who was found at fault for the crash, was texting while driving.

The accident and many others drove efforts toward Georgia’s Hands-Free driving law, which took effect in July 2018.

DeLoach’s family has kept her spirit alive through the creation of the Abbie DeLoach Foundation. It has distributed nearly $1 million in scholarships to Georgia nursing students, student-athletes and outreach abroad in honor of her.

This year, the foundation is ramping up efforts to help reduce distracted driving by sharing #HandsFreeforAbbie images and messaging on social media and via companies to encourage drivers to make a commitment to drive phone-free by taking a pledge.

You can take the pledge at handsfreeforabbie.com.

MORE ON THE FIVE GSU NURSING STUDENTS

• Memorial fund set up for Georgia Southern University crash victims
• Lawsuits filed in GSU fatal crash, investigation into truck driver’s past
• Trucking company sued in fiery Georgia crash that killed 5
• Parents of Georgia Southern nursing students killed in crash speak about settlement
• Trucker, company indicted in case of Georgia Southern nursing students killed in crash
• Trucking company starting foundation in memory of nursing students killed in crash
• Bridge renamed along I-16 to honor memory of 5 GSU nursing students

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