A little while ago, I commented on a case here in Ontario where a 20-year-old driver put a car into a river, killing himself and two other passengers. Today, the paper speaks with the driver's father regarding the crash.
According to the man, his son and three friends consumed a total of 31 drinks in three hours at a restaurant. Speed was also cited as a factor in the crash; the driver already had several charges on his record and was in danger of losing his license due to speeding violations.
So what does his father think needs to be done? "Parents need to lobby the government to make changes," he said.
Apparently, father now wants "zero tolerance for speeding" and said that if "the licence was revoked for one speeding incident, then word would quickly get around that you can't speed and (keep) your license."
Now, keep in mind that we're talking about a young man with enough speeding violations that he was close to having his licence yanked. So how did father answer when asked what he would have done differently as a parent?
"I would not have bought him the car that I did ... When he asked me for the car I argued with him incessantly and I finally gave in and wish I hadn't."
The car he bought for his son wasn't just any run-of-the-mill sedan, but a 340-horsepower Audi S4. Given to a young man with relatively little driving experience and, apparently, enough speeding tickets to plaster his bedroom wall.
According to the article, father told his son "don't drink and drive and don't speed. I know that I have said this to Tyler over 100 times. Obviously that doesn't work."
Apparently, focusing on the speeding part didn't, either. "As I said, I told Tyler not to speed ... Just because his friends talked about speeding so much. I was just shocked at the amount that the boys discuss cars and how fast they are and how much they like racing."
But apparently not shocked enough to withhold payment on a 340-horsepower Audi S4, it seems.
And what do people need to do? "People need to take a stand against this with the government."
Well, yes, of course, when it's obvious that they can't take a stand right in their own garage.
