6 year old Haven McCarthy had just gotten off her school bus in Lincoln County when she was hit by a car and killed.

That was in December 2007, for her family the wounds of the tragedy will never heal.

Jacob McCarthy, Haven's Father, "We just take it day by day. It's the only way we can. I can't tell you how I'll be tomorrow, today's been a good day."

It's a good day for McCarthy because the state legislature is taking steps to protect other children from a similar fate.

McCarthy wants Haven's Law passed placing stiffer punishments on drivers who don't stop for school buses.

Haven is the face of the bill but other children have been placed in harms way getting off the bus.

Linda McCarthy Bailey, Haven's Grandmother, "You might think about that stop sign or that bus light and you might think about being in a hurry when you want to pass a school bus."

Bailey says driving is a privilege and if it was taken as such her granddaughter might be here today.

The little girl's name, Haven, means a safe place; her family says that's what the school bus should have been, instead she crossed the road to her death.

Linda McCarthy Bailey, "She's in a safe place now."

Haven's family doesn't want her to just be another statistic; they say this bill will help her live on forever.

Jacob McCarthy, "It's too late to save her, but if we can save somebody else's kid, children it's well worth it."

The bill could come up for a vote in the House of Delegates soon.