THERE OUGHT TO BE A LAW...ENFORCEMENT

Not too many years ago, local media reported an unusual accident.  In one of our counties, not too far from Lexington, a man lost control of his car on a rural road. It went off the road, through a fence, across a field, up a small hill and plowed into a house, striking and killing a person inside. The story ended with "No charges are expected."

 

I was livid. No charges! A man was dead. At the very least, if not manslaughter, what about "failure to keep your vehicle under control." I urged local media to pursue this. I got nowhere, and as far as I know no charges were ever filed.

 

Many times it isn't the law, it's the enforcement.

 

I thought about that several times recently..once when I read a story that many states have laws, as Kentucky does, against texting while driving, but few enforce them. It is a difficult law to enforce, but it needs to be done.

 

Driving on a suspended license is another..see how many drivers involved in accidents are driving that way. It's a lot. I wonder if the cars of such drivers couldn't have their bumpers painted yellow (as rookies are in NASCAR races) to alert the public..and police. Something needs to be done.

 

The really tough call is when people are penalized by the circumstances of events--should they also feel the force of the law? In theory, yes. But what do you do to the parents of the 5 year old Kentucky boy who shot and killed his 2 year old sister recently with the fabled "unloaded" gun? Yes, it was parental negligence that left the loaded gun out for him to use..that's against the law.  But what about buying him the junior sized gun in the first place? (and, according to one story I saw, he was four when he received the gun...four!) That's probably not against the law in Kentucky..but it ought to be... or at least, there ought to be a requirement for people under a certain age to have weapons training..as adults (!) must have to get a concealed-carry permit. Is that asking too much?

 

And, yes, it probably would be hard to enforce also..but..let us begin. Lives might be saved.

 

I'm just sayin'...

 

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