There out to be another law!?
The unmistakable sound of a car careening off the road woke Mariann O'Keefe early Tuesday, but when she ran outside and looked down the street, she saw only darkness. Then she looked the other way, and a horrible sight emerged: A mangled car sat in an intersection. It had gone out of control and slammed into a utility pole, snapping the pole off at its base.
"The driver was caught in the car and was yelling, 'Get a knife, get a knife!'" said O'Keefe. He wanted someone to cut him from his seat belt.
The crash took the lives of two teenagers, including the driver, who succumbed to his injuries hours later. Three other teens who had been in the back seat remained hospitalized Tuesday night with varying degrees of injuries.
The crash was the latest in a series of fatal wrecks involving Minnesota teenagers this year -- 25 people ages 16 to 19 have died so far in 2010, compared with 35 all of last year, according to the state Department of Public Safety. Authorities said they believe high speed and alcohol were factors in the latest crash.
Police said the moments leading up to the accident, which happened shortly after 3:20 a.m., bore some of the hallmarks of some of Minnesota's deadliest accidents this year: a teenager driving at night with other teens in the car. In the spring, some officials suggested that state laws governing younger drivers, which had been toughened in 2008 and were followed by a decline in severe crashes, be made tougher still.
Comment: This is a terrible tragedy and my heart goes out to the parents who lost their children. But what new laws do we need?
- The car was in essence stolen. It was taken without permission
- The driver did not have a license
- It sounds as if underage drinking was involved
- Speeding was involved
How about this law! Parents ... when you go to bed make sure your kids are at home! And get them up early enough (like 7:00 a.m.) and give them chores so that they are exhausted by bed time!
I think that is what my Dad thought, get up early, work work work, bed, sleep.
ReplyDeleteBut yah, it is sad, but why 'punish' those who already follow the law because others are not following the law. No matter how strict the law may get, there will always be those that break the law.
It reminds me of all the people saying "there ought to be another law" when something tragic happens with guns. As if people who (like the Columbine killers) who already broke 19 laws are going to suddenly obey a 20th.
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