Safety First?

While looking for an editorial to read this week, I was looking for something that I could potentially relate to. Being a new driver, I thought that the editorial, "In matters of safety, state must focus on drivers too." I assumed that it would be about seat belts or other safety precautions important for drivers but I was wrong. The editorial was about safety regulations concerning the drivers and vehicles that transport preschoolers to school or daycare. I was horrified to read that the regulations set by the state were more concerned with minor details of the car than the driver of it. However, I was even more appalled to read about the recent death of a 17-month old. It was heartbreaking to read that the 17 month old died after being left unattended in the pickup van that transported him to his daycare. I could not help but think how his family is dealing with this awful tragedy. While I am still in shock about this horrible incident but I applaud the author for writing an editorial to inform us about the lack of laws concerning the driver of a vehicle. I agree with the author that the state regulations focus too much on the physical condition of the car rather than the driver. While the condition of the car is extremely important as well, I think that it is more important to be a assured that the driver is safe and reliable. I think that a driver of such vehicles should take a test and be evaluated throughout they're career. I hope that the state government looks over these laws again and amends them so that events like this will never happen again.


I think that the author was very clear of his audience. Writing in the Boston Globe, it is expected that citizens from Massachusetts will be reading it and the author catered to them. He mentioned laws and departments from Massachusetts that are familiar to only Massachusetts citizens. When referring to our governor, Deval Patrick, he simply said "Governor Patrick," assuming that all residents of Massachusetts know Governor Patrick's first name. The author also used a lot of evidence, quoting laws from the Department of Early Education and Care and the Registry of Motor Vehicles. The author appears to be against the current laws regarding transportation for preschoolers. He seems to doubt that the government will do much to fix them either by saying, "Governor Patrick has expressed some doubts that such a tragedy could be averted through more regulation." The author ends his editorial with, The latest tragedy shows that uninspected drivers break down, too."


In matters of safety, state must focus on drivers, too
http://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/editorials/2011/09/20/safety-rules-aren-just-for-vans-state-must-focus-drivers-too/0JHT7gnrlArKZRJT2eTpVL/story.xml