Red Means Stop. Period.
My son Aaron was married less than three weeks when he and my daughter-in-law, Megan, were broadsided by a red-light runner in downtown Pullman. Thankfully, they were not injured. This was, and always will be, the most important thing. But their car was totaled.
Ironically, that same daughter-in-law lost her car only one day after the wedding to the same circumstances. Her sister and husband borrowed her car to attend a family function. Another driver ran a stop sign and broadsided them. The car was totaled. Fortunately, they were not injured either.
I hope that drivers who are guilty of breaking the rules of the road, thus causing accidents like these, feel remorse. I hope they wake up to the seriousness of the crime of running red lights. Our local justice system should make sure of this.
As for the innocent victims and their families, it is not so easy to overcome the anger felt when someone else blatantly causes you pain and fear. It also complicates your life. Aaron and Megan had just married, and were working full-time summer jobs. They had to rent a car and go car shopping. They didn’t need the extra stress or expense.
Why do people run red lights? Maybe it’s because these drivers don’t care, feel they are invincible or simply think they are above the law. Whatever the reason, the results are still the same. Some are more serious and irreversible than others. As a parent, I know how it feels to receive a phone call informing you of an accident involving your children. I can’t even begin to imagine the pain and grief caused when the results are tragic.
It is no secret that Spokane has an ever increasing problem with blatant red light runners at almost every intersection, every day, all day long. I never cease to be amazed at what some people try to get away with when behind the wheel of a car.
Our police department is trying to do a better job of cracking down on these lawbreakers. What I really do not understand is why this is necessary. Plain old common sense should tell you that red does not mean race through the intersection and you’re home free if you don’t hit anyone.
Red means stop. Period. Remember that simple truth and save lives and heartache.
MEMO: Your Turn is a feature of the Wednesday and Saturday Opinion pages. To submit a Your Turn column for consideration, contact Rebecca Nappi at 459-5496 or Doug Floyd at 459-5466 or write Your Turn, The Spokesman-Review, P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210-1615.