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Reaction Many have posted to the forums expressing outrage at the light maximum sentence and short license suspension period. Many have also posted wondering about the "test" which, will be given to the accused. A Proposal Complaining and venting about this is healthy. But it will only do so much. Perhaps we (the RSWarrior members) can follow Kathy Schmidt's example but instead, write the judge in the case so that others are not victimized by this horrible set of circumstances. Kathy Schmidt is Brian's Mother in law (Michelle's Mom). The suggestions for writing the judge are on the Letter writing hints page (link is to the left). Here are some excerpts from an e-mail I have received from Kathy. "My sister and I did not get on T.V. as of yet. A bad accident happened on one of our freeways and the reporter had to cancel. He said he wants to reschedule, so that's good." Kathy is working to get on T.V. and publicize the case. "Last week Friday, we had another death by car driven by an elderly lady with Alzheimer's Disease. The elderly lady killed the young lady in her early twenties by hitting her head on, going the wrong way on a freeway. The 83 year old driver died later. " "What infuriates me is that the old man still has his driver's license. He can drive and kill through May 16 (the court date for Brian's case). Who knows if even then the authorities will finally take away his license. On the accident report the witnesses state that the old man didn't even know he hit Brian. Brian did not deserve this." "I hope we can get people stirred up to make a difference. People make an effort to wear seat belts, put their children in car seats, and have friends drive them when they are drunk. These were all issues that weren't taken seriously until somebody got mad and made the public look at how they themselves could be hurt by not following safety rules on our roads. After you read my letters, you'll see my motto is DO YOUR PART, DRIVE SMART. I want to help the unsafe elderly drivers make the right choice. Give up driving before they kill themselves or someone else." Editorial 1 which appeared in a local newspaper... DO YOUR PART, DRIVE
SMART On January 7, 2003, my son-in-law, Brian Hagerty, was involved in a motorcycle accident on the outskirts of Sun City and Peoria, at the cross section of Thunderbird Road and Sahara Drive. Until Brian’s death I did not know how serious the situation was that we face as a general population concerning the driving capabilities of our elderly. Sun City is an example of a retirement community that used to be an island all by itself, but is now surrounded by a younger population. With Peoria, El Mirage, and Surprise being adjacent to our retirement communities in Northwest Valley, younger drivers meet elderly drivers head on. I am NOT saying that all younger drivers are perfect drivers or that all elderly people need to stop driving. I am saying that as we drive, all of us need to be more aware of our surroundings and ourselves. All traffic signals and signs must be obeyed. Also, we need to be aware of what medications can do to our driving abilities, reading and following the labels on all medications before we drive is imperative. As we get older our sight and reflexes deteriorate. Sight and mobility are required senses in order to drive. An automobile can be a super convenience or a killing machine. It is our choice when we get behind the wheel. We all make mistakes, that’s a given. However, for every mistake made there are consequences to be paid. I would like some good to come out of Brian’s tragic death that being for us all to be more aware of our capabilities when we get behind the wheel of a motor vehicle. Motorcycle drivers tend to be defensive drivers because they are aware of their vulnerability on the road. In Brian’s case, having a car eight feet away from him turn directly in front of him was a no-way-out situation. Brian loved to ride his motorcycle. There seems to be a freedom found in riding motorcycles for some people. It is a desire that gets in their blood. He died doing something that gave him great joy. We need to respect all drivers. There is room for everyone on our roads; semi-trucks, big pick-up trucks, little pick-up trucks, recreational vehicles and motor homes of all sizes, vans, big cars, little cars, motorcycles, and golf carts (on local streets). Let’s all watch out for each other on our roads and highways. . As a memorial to Brian, we, his family, have erected a cross on the corner of Thunderbird Road and Sahara Drive. We hope this cross will be a reminder for all drivers that no matter what age we are, we must take responsibility for our actions behind the wheel of our vehicles. DO YOUR PART, DRIVE SMART. Written in loving memory of Brian Hagerty by Kathy Schmidt. Editorial 2 which appeared in a local newspaper Whose Fault Is It? We have many elderly drivers on the roads today who do not see well enough to drive. How has this happened? Is it the fault of the insurance companies who insure our elderly drivers? Is it the fault of the Department of Motor Vehicles whose employees perform the eye tests for our elderly? Is it the fault of the elderly drivers themselves? Are they in denial as to how impaired their vision really is? Or is it the fault of the elderly driver’s family for not recognizing that their grandparents, parents, aunts, or uncles can no longer see well enough to drive? Whose fault is it? What would happen, if instead of fighting to keep our elderly drivers on our roads, we all joined forces together and provided shuttle services in our retirement communities at nominal costs that would be available every 30 minutes to go anywhere within their community? Sun City already offers Sun City Area Transit for a minimal charge (623-977-8363). The Spotlight Senior Services Directory is filled with a vast variety of different services for seniors; it is available for free at hospitals and many healthcare facilities (480-354-6850). Let’s solve the problem. Statistics show that elderly drivers are most at risk when yielding the right of way to oncoming traffic and making left hand turns. Let’s save our elderly drivers who are sight impaired and the unsuspecting drivers who share the roads with them from an accident waiting to happen. As a population, we need to be proactive with our elderly and save them from making the biggest mistake in their long lives; failing to surrender their driving privileges before a tragic accident occurs. Written in loving memory of Brian Hagerty by Kathy Schmidt Editorial 3 which appeared in a local newspaper ATTENTION BABY BOOMERS! There is a crisis brewing in our retirement communities and surrounding neighborhoods today. Many of our parents have been blessed with longevity and have enjoyed the freedom of driving motor vehicles most of their lives. They are now reaching the age of decision. They might be asking themselves if their driving abilities are as sharp as they used to be years ago. We need to be there for them with support and advice. Many elderly seniors can continue driving by simply modifying their driving practices to accommodate their decreasing abilities. Some strategies for keeping our elderly seniors safe on our roads are as follows: avoid night driving, rush hour, and being on the road in bad weather, limit trips to shorter distances, plan and know your route in advance, have regular medical check-ups, including vision, exercise regularly to maintain strength and flexibility, verify with your doctor that medications won’t interfere with alertness or ability to drive, take a driver’s safety course periodically, look for alternate routes when left-turn lights are not available, and NEVER MAKE A LEFT-TURN ON A BUSY STREET. When an elderly senior’s driving becomes a danger to public safety, encourage them to give up their keys. As a gift for those elderly seniors who are conscientious enough to give up their driving privileges for the safety of themselves and the public, our cities and towns need to provide more individualized transportation opportunities. Many of our elderly need door-to-door service. Along with the needed transportation services, our elderly also need to be educated to use the services. Remember that we, as Baby Boomers, are 10 to 20 years away from making decisions about our own driving abilities. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a number of alternative transportation services waiting for us when our driving days are over? Let’s find a way to help our elderly seniors with their transportation needs today. Our parents will thank us now, and we will be thankful later. The strength of each of us depends on all of us. As always, DO YOUR PART, DRIVE SMART. Written on behalf of Brian Hagerty by Kathy Schmidt Editorial 4 which appeared in a local newspaper BEWARE OF LETHAL LEFT-TURNS. Warning, left-turns can be hazardous to your health. My son-in-law, Brian Hagerty, was killed by the most lethal of all driving maneuvers performed by drivers, age 65 or older: a left-turn into oncoming traffic. This fact is statistically proven. The driver that turned in front of Brian was an 89-year-old man. If we, as a maturing society, could eliminate making left-turns on busy streets, we could possibly make our retirement communities and surrounding areas safer for all. Safe driving is a choice. However, without education, some of our older drivers could be unaware of the dangers of left-turns. AARP offers a “55 Alive” class filled with a volume of safety information that can make us all better drivers on our roads. I believe out of every tragedy
there are lessons to be learned. From
Brian’s untimely death, I hope, our elderly, senior drivers will take to heart
the dangers of making left-turns. Although
avoiding making left-turns might take a few extra minutes for us to arrive at
our destination, those few extra minutes could be life saving to ourselves and
other people. Friends don’t let
friends drive unsafely. Let’s
spread the word about lethal left-turns and make our streets safer for all of
us. DO YOUR PART, DRIVE SMART. Written in loving memory of Brian Hagerty by Kathy Schmidt Editorial 5 which appeared in a local newspaper DRIVER’S OF AMERICA, BEWAREWatch out for your elderly neighbor’s driving skills. Statistics show that elderly, senior drivers are most at risk when yielding the right of way to oncoming traffic. How do we protect our elderly drivers from themselves and other unsuspecting drivers who share the roads with them? As a society, we need to be proactive with our elderly drivers and save them from making the biggest mistake in their long lives: failing to surrender their driving privileges before a tragic accident occurs. The excuse heard most often when an elderly person is involved in an accident is, “I didn’t see anything coming.” Our population is growing older. What we tolerate, we will not change. If we, as a society, sit back and do nothing about the unsafe elderly drivers on our roads today, our retirement communities and surrounding areas could become the killing fields of America. We need to WAKE UP. I do not say this lightly.
On January 7, my son-in-law, Brian Hagerty, was the victim of an 89
year-old man who made a left-turn in front of him.
The 89 year-old man said he did not see Brian driving towards him. The
accident report states that Brian was at no fault whatsoever.
On February 18, the 89 year-old man, gave his plea in court, stating he
was not responsible for the accident. However,
the man is responsible for killing the only grandson Brian’s grandfather and
grandmother will ever have. He is
responsible for making my daughter a widow at the age of 29.
He is responsible for choosing to make his freedom of driving more
important than the safety of other people on the road.
Elderly drivers, I plead with you today to please be accountable to
yourselves and other drivers on the road. Don’t
use your car as a killing machine. The
inconvenience of not being able to drive yourself is nothing compared to the
death of a loved one. Don’t let a
tragic accident be the deciding factor to give up your driver’s license.
Please be aware of your responsibility as good citizens to keep our roads
safe for all drivers. DO YOUR
PART, DRIVE SMART. Driving
smart can mean having someone else do the driving for you. Written on behalf of
Brian Hagerty by Kathy Schmidt TAKE BACK YOUR STREETS!Attention safety conscious senior and elderly drivers of America: Dangerous drivers are monopolizing the streets of your retirement communities today. You thought you could relax and enjoy retirement in calm, serene surroundings. However, now you find yourself playing bumper cars, and worse, with your own neighbors who are driving unsafely. Statistically, yielding the right of way to oncoming traffic is the most frequent offense committed by elderly drivers. You see your neighbor’s vehicle; unfortunately, they don’t see your vehicle and proceed to turn directly in front of you as if you weren’t there. Sometimes you can make a fast maneuver and get out of the way; sometimes you can’t. My 32 year-old son-in-law, Brian Hagerty, had no chance to maneuver out of the way of a dangerous 89 year-old driver who turned left in front of him. Brian died because he believed the other driver would follow the rules of the road. How can you get the dangerous drivers off your streets before they kill you, themselves, or someone else? What about offering to drive your neighbors, who are unsafe drivers, to various stores, functions, or appointments? How about gathering information about alternative transportation services in your community to share with unsafe drivers, and then helping them to utilize these services. If you find your community lacks good alternative transportation choices, look into doing something about it. Join forces with other safe drivers, and demand from your city officials that more be done to accommodate the transportation needs of the elderly in your community. As a group, you have the power. Remember, the strength of each of us depends upon the strength of all of us. I hope my words will motivate you to take some action and make a difference. The streets in our retirement communities today are unsafe. DO YOUR PART, DRIVE SMART. Make your streets safe for everyone. Written on behalf of Brian Hagerty by Kathy Schmidt
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