WAVE 3 TV Louisville, KY | Crash victim's family members want cable barriers along I-65

Crash victim's family members want cable barriers along I-65

By Elizabeth Donatelli

LOUISVILLE (WAVE) -- Since the start of the year, eight people have died in car accidents along Interstate 65 in Hart County. One particularly horrific accident happened two weeks ago killing five people. Two of the surviving family members are speaking exclusively to WAVE 3's Elizabeth Donatelli to share how they are turning their heartache into a call for action.

Dave Lawson lost his wife, Myra and daughter, Cassie in a horrific car accident on March 19th when an oncoming car crossed the median and struck their car head on.

"Some kind of barrier would have stopped the other car from coming over, saved my family and probably would have saved the other family. The cable barriers are the safest," says Dave Lawson.

Five people died in the accident. The only survivor was Dave's 22-year-old daughter, Jennifer.

"Somehow, I got a miracle out of it," says Lawson.

Jennifer was hardly injured in the crash, but the real pain was losing her mother and twin sister.

"It's devastating to anyone to lose family, especially people so young," Jennifer said.

When Jennifer's fiancé found out about the accident, he drove down to see her on I-65 South. Somehow, he ended up crashing into the center of the concrete barrier, which saved him from crossing into oncoming traffic. He is ok, but this is just one more reason why the family is now pushing for cable barriers on Interstate 65.

"We want the barriers and we want them now," says Dave Lawson.

Lawson says he has been told it might be years before cable barriers can be installed. We contacted the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and asked how long it might take.

"If there are going to be median cable barriers installed, it's not going to be a matter of years," said Chuck Wolfe of the Transportation Cabinet.

First, they are launching a study to see where barriers are necessary, starting with I-65. Still Wolfe says it is a priority.

However, Dave Lawson says, "It's time to quit studying. It's time to quit planning. It's time to act." 

Lawson wants barriers on a 15-mile stretch of the road. That could cost nearly $4-million.

"If the government can't do it, we'll find a way to buy this governor the first mile and we'll put it up at mile marker 61," says Lawson.

Lawson says he's dedicated to the cause because he never wants anyone else to go through what his family is going through. 

The Lawson family is launching a web site, barriersnow.com, which will be up soon. The site will invite people to share their stories, pictures, and provide a forum with statistics.

Online Reporter:  Elizabeth Donatelli

Online Producer: Charles Gazaway