It's not a tragedy - it's a travesty

The Southland Times

Open letter to parents by Southern District road policing manager, Inspector Andrew Burns.

Since the start of this year there have been 11 people killed in Southland as the result of vehicle crashes.

This is in itself an absolute tragedy but when all the factors are examined, some of these vehicle crashes don't appear to be tragedies. They are travesties.

The deaths of seven of these 11 people cannot be seen as tragedies. They are devastating for family and friends, but not tragedies.

These seven deaths involved excessive speed or alcohol.

This might sound harsh, particularly with the events of the past few days in Invercargill where the lives of three young people have been needlessly wasted.

The reason I say that these particular events are not tragedies is that the behaviours of the people involved suggested a high probability that the cause of their deaths would be related to these behaviours. Simply put, if people are engaging in high-risk behaviours, such as speeding and drink-driving, the chance that they will be involved in a crash increases dramatically.

Research tells us that speed is a factor in about 30 per cent of fatal and 15 per cent of injury crashes across the population.

However, this increases to 46 per cent of fatal and 23 per cent of injury crashes among 15 to 19-year-olds. Driving with a blood alcohol level of 80mg/100ml increases by 16 times the chance of being involved in a crash. This blows out to an increase of 86 times for those aged 15 to 19.

It is clear that 15 to 19-year-olds are a high-risk group with six of the seven deaths mentioned being in this age group.

Ultimately the responsibility for keeping this group safe is ours; the community, but more importantly the families and friends of these young people.

The police have a role in this by enforcing laws that are designed to keep all road users safe.

Unfortunately police are often not supported by those in a position to influence and protect these young people. Excuses are made for behaviours, responsibilities are shifted elsewhere and there are complaints about unfair treatment.

These young people need guidance. They need good role models. They need direction.

They don't need tacit approval to continue high-risk behaviours.

I know this is not easy but as a community we see the devastation that occurs when things go wrong.

I am sure everyone would prefer to turn back the clock and make some changes after the event. We need to start doing it now.

If family and friends do not take a lead role in changing these behaviours then we will continue to see obituaries for young people that might be more accurately described as a "devastating loss" to family and friends as opposed to "tragically taken". To see the numbers of young people hurt and killed as a result of taking part in high-risk driving behaviours is a travesty; the tragedy is some of us are allowing it to happen.

TIMELINE

What happened: It appears a vehicle travelling at high speed in Leven St clips a traffic island and skids sideways for more than 100m. It flattens a parking meter and slams into a concrete wall.

When: 12.35am on Friday

Dead: Driver Jesse Langeveld, 19 Passengers Tylar Parry, 16, and Ethan Peek, 16

Seriously injured: Passenger Shawn Milne, 16

The car: A highly modified Honda Civic

The cause: Still subject to a police investigation but speed, alcohol, drag racing and road conditions are being considered as possible factors.