HARRISBURG -- A 22-year-old Lancaster woman, Jacy Good, told a heartbreaking story yesterday about why she thinks Pennsylvania should ban drivers from talking on hand-held cell phones.

Last May, as she and her parents were driving through Berks County on their way home from her college graduation ceremony, a driver who was distracted by talking on a hand-held cell phone went through a red light. He caused a tractor-trailer to swerve into the path of her family's car, killing both her parents, Jay and Jean Good, and putting Jacy in a coma for a while.

"My parents had their lives stolen, and it's nothing less than a miracle that I am here today," she said.

The young woman is still in physical therapy and walks with a cane, but came here to support a bill by Rep. Josh Shapiro, D-Montgomery, that would require motorists to use only hands-free cell phones if they want to talk on the phone while driving.

"This bill is the best way to honor my parents' memory. It will help prevent my family's tragedy from being repeated," she said.

The measure would also prevent all "junior drivers," those aged 16 and 17, from using any type of cell phone while driving, again to remove distractions. It would also ban drivers from sending text messages while driving, because they have to take their eyes off the road so often.

"I have received 200 e-mails from people who were hit by drivers talking on hand-held cell phones," Mr. Shapiro said. "It's time to pass legislation to make our roadways safer."

Mr. Shapiro also said his car was once rear-ended by a car driven by a person talking on a hand-held cell phone. He said that in Pennsylvania in 2007, there were 1,245 accidents related to drivers using hand-held cell phones, but only 56 accidents tied to the use of hands-free devices.

State Rep. Dom Costa, D-Stanton Heights, the former police chief in Pittsburgh, supports the bill. "I've seen many people driving through red lights while talking on cell phones," he said.

House Bill 538 has 70 co-sponsors from both parties, and would need at least 102 votes to pass the House. Rep. Joe Markosek, D-Monroeville, Transportation Committee chairman, hopes to get it through the House by June 30.

But a battle is expected. Some legislators, and many state residents, regard the bill as "nanny government," where the state tries to tell people how to live.

Mr. Shapiro said something must be done to reduce the problem of "driving while distracted."

Some critics say, in that case, legislators should prohibit drivers from eating, drinking, using the car radio or inserting a CD. Mr. Shapiro said studies have shown that talking on hand-held cell phones is the most common and dangerous distraction and action is needed now.