UPDATE: The meeting went very well. There were representatives from police, fire, ems, school, and the DA’s office. We have agreed to meet again to come up with some long and short term goals. In the short term the police will patrol the areas during peak travel times. We also had a state senator and a member of the state house of representatives. They are looking into legislation on cell phone use. The state of Connecticut just banned use of cell phones while driving. I believe New York has the same ban. It is time Massachusetts did the same. More to come on this issue.
Over the past few weeks we have lost three people, mostly young people, to horrific car accidents here in the area. This morning, the Police Chief in one of the communities has invited leaders of Police and Fire as well as clergy and other to what will be a summit meeting of sorts to try and come up with a way to combat this mess. The latest one killed was a 17 yo student killed on her way to school because she was send a text message! Nothing is that important! How can we get the word out that we cannot continue this trend. I am guilty of this as well. I talk on the cell phone, I have sent text messages, I have even looked up a phone number on my PDA all while driving. I guess I am going to stop this now.
It seems that we are getting more and more dangerous behind the wheel and more and more of us are getting killed doing this. I am not sure what is going to come out of all of this and maybe nothing will but we have to try and do something.
Last spring I responded to call of a motor vehicle accident right near the high school. I looked at the time and a I got a shiver as I knew school was getting out. When I arrived on scene they were cutting the roof off the car to remove the passenger. Four EMT’s were working on this kid to try and keep him alive. We sent for the helicopter to take him to the hospital. We cut the roof off the car and got him in the ambulance only to have him die on the way to helicopter. What a tragic waste of life. 18 years old and about ready to graduate from high school. So full of life taken away because of something stupid. We need to talk to our kids. Take away the damn cell phones or disable to text message parts.
Dr. Phil, I know I know, did a show recently on this and the stats are staggering. We need do something I am just not sure what that will be. Pray for us today as we have this meeting that something good will come out of it.
Lord have mercy!
I am guilty of the same. There is nothing that important. Henceforth, the phone will be off if I am driving in the car.
I’ll be very interested to hear what comes of the meeting. Do share it!
i refused to allow my son to get a drivers license until he graduated from high school in my mind no one under 18 years of age is mature enough to be behind the wheel of a car. most kids don’t just kill themselves they take their friends with them.
people need to understand a car is a very heavy powerful weapon and to not pay attention when driving is just wrong. how important do we all think we’ve become that we have to be instantly texted messaged or called. we are one very spoiled nation. anne