Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Don't Try Fixing It, If Your Not Sure It's Broke!

I got this story from Kim's blog about how they want to raise the age limit on getting a driver's license. Let me ask you this, what were those kids doing that led them to get in the accident in the first place? There simply wasn't enough data there for me to make a judgement call to move the age limit up with what I saw. What exactly do these kids get as a penalty when they are at fault for an accident? Should they just get a small fine for texting, messing with the stereo or talking on the cell phone while driving? Distractions these days are different than they were even 10 years ago. Distractions are more appealing to a teenager than most adult drivers. I have the feeling that there is more behind this increase in accidents other than just "it's those damn kids" ramblings. I like details, sue me.

This might be an answer to decrease accidents across the board, regardless of age. I know I'd think twice about launching on to the interstate if I knew there was a chance at getting hit with a $5000 fine for speeding. I'm not saying that's what should be done, I'm just sayin'. I think what needs to be done is to ENFORCE the rules we have on the books now and push for the max and it needs to be made very public on who the judges are that preside over these cases with a monthly or yearly report of their cases, with their findings on all of them, easy for all to see, let's say we publish them in a newspaper.

Bottom line, don't try fixing a problem unless you've tried using what you already have...come to think of it, the oil industry could learn from that very statement, THINK ABOUT IT!

10 comments:

Mary said...

In this area alone, in less than a year and a half, there have been at least 10 vehicle accidents due to a teen driver's poor driving. Four were DWI, one was text messaging (four teens were killed in that one). The last one,two 17 year olds were killed - due to speed (not the drug). He was also driving without a license and had been ticketed before for speeding.

I don't know what the answer is, but whatever they're doing now is not working. Too many kids are dying due to their own driving habits. Quite fankly, I feel that the kids today (not all, but far too many) are grossly immature. Maybe it's the times and parents not teaching responsibility. But that's another story.

limpy99 said...

That's a big thing in CT now, raising the driving age and limiting what kids can do when they get their licenses. The real problem, of course, is parents who are willing to buy their kids rockets for cars.

Mary said...

I have no idea why that posted 3 times! So sorry!!!!!

The CDM said...

Mary, gotcha covered.

Limpy, you bring up a good point. I had to buy my first car, these kids get things bought for them AND they get bailed out of trouble without fully reaping the reprecussions for their actions.

Anonymous said...

I bought my first car when I was 18 (1983 POS Mercury Lynx), but I got my license at 16. Didn't get my first speeding ticket until the age of 23. Hmmmm. What does that say?

Chatterness said...

Not sure how I feel about this. Putting your kid on the road at 16 is scary....I know...I had to do it. However, it also relieved me of taxi duty. More deaths over taxi duty? Nope...I think I'd rather do the taxi duty!!

Coby said...

I have to agree with ya there buddy. I am guilty of all of the above as well. Texting is the worst thing I am guilty of.....I am texting on the road when all of a sudden.....BAM! I realize I haven't really seen where it is that I have gone. Now thats messed up! I did it just this morning. I looked up from a text conversation and said holy shit! I am here! Now that was scary! Nah not really the worst, the worst thing was it was a 30+ minute drive I was on, now that was bad. God save my soul!

Anonymous said...

Coby! You text while driving?! Don't do that! :-o I've been known to mutter bad things at people I see doing that! I use language I don't normally use! LOL! I don't text while driving. Actually, I don't text at all...I hate texting. Can never find the right letters and the screen is small. I almost never talk on the phone while driving. Once in a while if I'm driving and it rings I'll answer, but usually I do not, and the only time I make calls while driving is if I have to call 911 for any reason. That has happened a few times. Once when there was a COW in the middle of the road (seriously, a cow...I didn't know what to do so I called 911), once when a tree was on fire (on the same road where I saw the cow!), once when a truck was on fire and once when I saw what looked like a body laying on the side of the road. I never did find out if that was an actual body or not, but the 911 operator told me I was the 5th person to call about it.

Mary said...

CDM, thank you. Also, you're right about mommy and daddy buying cars for kids. Kim worked through high school (and college) and bought her own car with no help from mom and dad. (We bought the insurance). She's bought all her own cars. Kids appreciate things more when they earn them, not when they're given freely.

Coby - DON'T EVER DO THAT AGAIN!!

Darius T. Williams said...

You're right...the oil industry could learn soooo freaking much!