[Have you ever been involved in an accident? Ever been at-fault? Ever had a close call? You know, **** happens. People make mistakes. I have. Once rear-ended a lady as we were approaching a stoplight because she stopped abruptly, and I wasn't paying attention. Totally my fault. I was lucky that we were only going a few miles per hour, and nobody was hurt. The driver of that blazer made a mistake. You know, that's why they call them accidents. Awful consequences in this case, and affected a lot of lives I'm sure. It's just a shame. That's all it is. /QUOTE]
Jesus,
While I respect your opinion I strongly disagree with the term "accident" when applied to a situation like this.
When I was in the Active Army I was in the Transportation Corps. I was awarded Master Driver credentials by the Transpotation School at Fort Eustis, VA.
One of my duties in an Ordnance unit I was in was Drivers Trainer/Driving Instructor and License Examiner.
Anytime we had a serious incident involving vehicles I was usually one of the investigators that determined what action would result to the personnel involved...this could be anything from a warning, license suspension or criminal charges.
There is almost no such thing as a true "accident".
I have found that in the majority of incidents that there was some avoidable action that could have prevented the occurance.
Rear end collisions are, with very few exceptions, avoidable.
My question to the driver of the vehicle that hit the SUV and knocked it into the path of the military vehicle would be
"what were you doing that distracted you to the point that you hit a stopped vehicle". How fast was the vehicle going that allowed it to knock a stopped vehicle that far out into an intersection?
No doubt that he/she will have to live with the consequences of the action but criminal charges should be persued if there
was negligence involved. Two innocent people died as a result of something that prob could have been avoided.
Americans are crappy drivers....and I speak as a long time commercial and military driver.
I blame this on the fact that there is no mandated drivers training in America (high school drivers ed is a joke).
Driving should be taught to standards in a controlled environment and if you don't meet the standards you don't drive on
public roads.
The legal driving age in the US should be raised to 18 and it should cost some serious money to get a license....as well to have it reinstated if you screw up.
I don't want to hear that that is "economic discrimination"......you want driving privilages....get a job and pay for them.
Go look up requirements to get a license in Germany and other European countries. In Germany you learn how to drive....
not hold a steering wheel and hope for the best.
Driving is privilege...not a god-given right.
95% of the driving public does not take it seriously.
The fact that there are people with multiple DUI convictions still legally driving proves that point.
In other countries the 2nd DUI cost you your license for life.
Just my opinion for what it's worth.
