So Sad...

[Mike Wilson]

Whatever the reasons or opinions on this subject, I, as an E.M.T., emplore you

to share with your teenage children the importance of Automobile Safety and

Safe Driving Habits...



Sorry for another O.T. subject so soon after another member posting about too

many O.T. subjects, but I thought this one to be important:

 

[Thomas Rogers]

Track, check your link (seems to require AT&T login).



I assume the link you want is to the story below (see my link).



Having been born and raised in central NY and having gone to college in Rochester I know that area well:

 

[Mike Wilson]

TJR,



Yes, same story. Sorry about the link.

 

[Todd Z]

It is sad, But swerving around like that on a night road............... No comment

Todd Z

 

[Mike Wilson]

Todd Z,



That's kind of what I meant. Inexperience for the given situation.

Again, that's why we need to teach our teenagers, or even before

the teenage years, the importance of responsible driving habits.

Didn't mean to annoy anyone by another O.T. thread, just thought this might

be something we could share with our families, kids, or whatever...

Thanks...

TnB...

 

[Frank Marano]

as a tractor trailer driver I see some stupid sh*t everyday on the road, and not just from teenagers. I cant imagine the feelings these parents are having. This accident happened about an hour down the highway from me. Highway that I have driven....and will continue to drive.

 

[Nelson Atwell]

I remember reading somewhere the speed limit was 55 mph, and the van driver was going 40 mph. I get annoyed with drivers like that, but have the experience to pass safely. If the van driver did indeed speed up to prevent them from passing he should be held at fault a little. In the end, even if he isn't charged, he knows whether or not he did that, so those girl's deaths would be on his conscience forever.

 

[CountyMounty]

Unfortunatley I have seen so many of these types of accidents over the years, starting at age 16 when I was the first person to arrive at the scene of a car accident in which my neighbors (brothers 15 and 18years old) and 2 of their friends were killed. I was a junior member of my local fire department and this was a very scary start to my career in public safety. Since then I have been to at least a dozen multi-fatality teen accidents and many of these have occurred around prom or graduation time.



Every year our department and the State Police go to all of the area high schools to present a program about drinking and driving and reckless driving including a mock accident, yet every year we still have bad accidents. This year on the same day as we did the exercise, only about 6 hours later, there was a double fatality accident, some kids just dont listen or dont care. I know that "kids will be kids" but I personally have a hard job understanding it because I myself was never a party kid or a drinkier. I think that was directly connected to that day I watched my neighbors die, I think that is what made me decide to never be the party type and also played a major rule in me pursuing a career in law enforcement. Anyway TracnBlack thanks for the post I couldn't agree more we must all try to get this message out to our kids, unfortunately some just dont listen and we will continue to have accidents like this, we can only do our best.

 

[CountyMounty]

Just reread the story and is does not mention alcohol being a factor but that may come out in the investigation. If not, then I'm betting that along with driver inexperience that driver inattention played a major rule. I can't imaginge trying to drive with a group of teenage girls in the car. Probably there were 3 or 4 different conversations going on and a couple on a cell phone. There may have also been some peer presure upon the driver to pass the vehicle in an unsafe location. Also its mentioned that there were more friends in another vehicle, I wonder if that might have played into things as well, like they were playing games passing cars or something. I am not specifically placing blame here but it is likely something that could have easily been avoided if their was responsible driving.

 

[Darrel Chaney01]

I wish the law was that you could not have a driver's license until you went through driver's education and passed it. I don't mean a short course, but one that also shows the films of what could go wrong. I am 52 and still remember those films in high school, scared the crap out of me then. I think this is more important now than it was then. There are more vehicles on the road now and a lot more distractions today. Even if the driver had nothing to do with the wreck, they will have that memory with them forever.

 

[Tom Schindler]

It wouldn't surprise me if the driver of the van sped up. I see it all the time. People got this thing about being in front of someone, even if they are driving below the limit.



If it could be proven that the driver sped up, he/she should be charged with Voluntary Vehicular Homicide. The punishment should be the dealth penalty.



Anymore, I drive the speed limit. I have been driving too fast lately and really had to slow myself down. Even when I drove like an idiot, I never, ever, ever, sped up to prevent someone from passing me on a two lane road.



That is just sad. The true victims are the families of the girls that lost their lives. They are the ones that must go on with life without their little girls. They are the ones that have to look at pictures of thied children and wonder what they would/could have been.



For all we know, one of those girls could have discovered a cure for cancer in the future.



You just never know.





Tom

 

[Nelson Atwell]

 

[Scott Tanner]

That happened about 50 miles from my place... very sad... my kids wonder why i didn't let them get their licenses until they were way older... that stretch of road has hills every mile or so, and a lot of sight-distance issues. if what they said about the van driver is true, then they should be made into an example... I showed the article to my teens so that they could understand a little better...

 

[Jeffrey Travis]

Western/Upstate NY driving is difficult because of the many 2 lane highways at 55 and the overwhelming want/desire/need to pass and when it really comes down to it, how much time does it save? Easy for me to say now, but when I was younger I would have not thought about it or listened to someone. Part of it is the 'thrill' of speed.



It does seem like everytime you passed someone you were glad to have made it alive.



Fairport is two towns over from where I grew up so I looked for familiar last names, wondering if I would have known any of their relatives. Did not recognize any but I still have that 'been punched in the gut' feeling. Cannot imagine losing an 18 year old child.



If that van had sped up I can only hope karma bites him/her in the ass so the rest of their life is miserable to go along with the guilt.

 

[Ryan Schaecher]

I got my license while living in SoCal (Ramona) and if anyone knows the roads around Ramona, Escondido, Santee, et al. you know what drivin them as an inexperienced driver can be like.



My high school required a long course on driving before the administration would (1) allow you to drive a vehicle onto campus property and (2) before they would supply any documentation to the DMV. That still didn't prevent everything, but I'm sure it did a lot. I only know of (1) girl from my class that was killed in a driving situation between 7th and 12th grade. Her and her older sister were comming back from a track meet and the road was wet (a rare occurance in SoCal). They were doing the speed limit but the car snapped loose and they hit a tree. Both girls dead. The passengers in the back... walked away after being cut out of the car.



Just yesterday around Poplar Bluff, MO there was another accident involving a car, SUV and semi. My mom passed the details along. It appears that the car was impatient behind the semi, tried to pass and smashed head-on into the SUV. At least (1) fatality as the car was covered with a tarp. At least (2) life-flighted out. At least (1) more ambulanced out.



All thi sis why I do no more than 7 over unless safely passing. My dad gets all bent out of shape when he drives with me and I don't pass someone when he thinks I should. My wife thinks I pass too much.... go figure.

 

[2]

They were doing the speed limit but the car snapped loose and they hit a tree

Don't forget that the speed limit is the MAXIMUM speed. When road conditions deteriorate with rain, snow etc. you are supposed to slow down.