Megan’s father talks with Fox 8 News about Megan’s Way Out / Senate Bill 264
Two years after the tragic loss of Megan Keleman, her family continues to turn unimaginable grief into a mission to help protect others.
That message is at the heart of Megan’s Way Out, an effort to make Ohio’s drive-thru facilities safer by requiring a separate bypass or escape lane at certain new and substantially renovated drive-thru businesses.
The campaign was recently featured by FOX 8, highlighting the Keleman family’s continued efforts to have Megan’s Way Out become Ohio law.
Turning Grief Into Action
What could be changed so that another person is not trapped in a similar situation?
The answer they found was straightforward—a separate bypass lane that would allow a vehicle to leave a drive-thru without having to travel through the main line.
Megan’s Way Out would require certain newly constructed or substantially renovated drive-thru facilities to provide this additional route.
The proposed bypass lane would be designed to accommodate both customers and emergency responders, providing another path out when someone needs to leave quickly.
State Senator Casey Weinstein introduced Senate Bill 264, the Megan’s Way Out Act, to establish this requirement statewide. The bill specifically calls for a separate bypass lane adjacent to specified drive-through lanes.
Communities Are Already Taking Action
While the family continues to work toward a statewide law, the Megan’s Way Out concept has already been adopted by several Ohio communities.
Stow, where Megan lost her life, adopted a local ordinance requiring qualifying drive-thru facilities to provide a bypass lane. Cuyahoga Falls, Green and Hartville have also taken action.
The Keleman family hopes those local examples will help demonstrate why the same safety principle should apply across Ohio.
The Fight for a Statewide Law Continues
Senate Bill 264 is currently in the Ohio Senate Government Oversight and Reform Committee. According to the Ohio Legislature’s official bill tracker, it has not yet advanced through the committee or Senate.
With the current legislative session moving toward its conclusion, the timing is important.
If the bill does not become law during the current General Assembly, the legislative process would have to begin again in a future session.
For Megan’s family, however, the mission will continue.
As Nick Keleman told FOX 8, the effort isn’t about politics. It is about public safety and making sure people have the ability to leave a dangerous situation.
Continuing the Work
Megan’s Rainbow of Hope will continue supporting the effort to bring Megan’s Way Out to communities throughout Ohio.
Megan’s story has already inspired action in communities across the state. The hope is that those local efforts will ultimately lead to a statewide standard.
Read the Fox Story Here