Just what does it take? 791, so far

Gus Philpott
Woodstock Advocate
October 23, 2012

The IDOT counter reads 791 fatalities on Illinois roadways in 2012 - so far.

The Chicago Tribune reports on an early Tuesday morning crash in Aurora, Ill., where a 15-year-old male passenger was ejected from a speeding car that crashed into a house.

Parents and Teachers: print that article and discuss it with your kids, whether they are drivers or passengers.

The boy was a rear-seat passenger and was not wearing a seatbelt. He was one of four 15-year-old boys in the car, which crashed about 1:40AM today.

So the questions ...

Why were four 15-year-olds joyriding at 1:40AM?
On a school night?
Was it the first time the driver had taken his father's car for a joyride?
Why wasn't the boy who died wearing his seatbelt?

The driver, of course, had no driver's license. Why did he take his father's car?

Why were three boys so stupid as to ride with an unlicensed driver?

Why don't parents and schools do a better job of teaching kids that they are not "bulletproof"?

After the fatal crash here on July 1, I contacted the two Woodstock High Schools to inquire about driver education and passenger safety education. That was in July. One principal did not reply. The driver's ed teacher didn't reply. The other principal replied that he'd be in touch. OK, so school has been open two months now.

Maybe he's not really going to be in touch with me.

Somebody needs to look every kid in the eye and tell them in straight-forward, no-nonsense language that, when they do stupid things, they can die. Or kill someone else. Or be seriously injured.

Playing "nice" and saying "please" aren't working too well...