DEAR EDITOR: It is indeed sad that our highways (North and South) and byways all over our land have suddenly become “killing grounds.”

To the bereaved families, loved ones and friends of those recently killed in road accidents, my deepest condolences are extended to you at this time in your grief, and beyond, since in the recent instances, quite young persons perished.

Sad indeed! True, there is a crying need for proper, easily visible, readable road signage, road improvements; more and constant traffic police patrols to keep motorists in lane and at appropriate speed. What is also needed is a distinctive attitude of ROAD SENSE to be learned and exercised by every motorist and pedestrian in the country.

Such a lesson and eventual mind-set must begin at the elementary stage - for wannabe drivers – at the time when someone gets the first urge to get behind the “wheel”.

It should stand to reason that instructors as well are to be thoroughly screened, examined and scrupulously monitored to ensure that they impart to learners every good road habit, and, you guessed it: ROAD SENSE.

ROAD SENSE is a concept of mine and it takes its power from the kind of critical thinking and thought processes a motorist must always have at his/her command, and must practice as a matter of urgency and personal safety.

The idea of developing ROAD SENSE is to give drivers, pedestrians et al, a better sense of their responsibility on the nation’s roads; it is to make drivers aware that they, and not the vehicle, have the brains regardless how “smart” the vehicle is touted to be! Use your head to bring good sense to the activity of driving a vehicle. Defensive driving with a difference.

But, there is a whole, extensive, elaborate projection involved: that of looking beyond your immediate scope from within the vehicle to that of the majority of the panorama or view outside your windscreen and your side windows.

It puts you in the person’s space and gives you the calm authority to give up your own right to allow the other vehicle or vehicles trouble-free passage in given situations.

ROAD SENSE will not immediately stop road carnage, but persons who adopt and utilise the fundamental principle of “driving for others” and “with others in mind” will be less prone to take advantage of open road, will at least slow down and prepare to stop at late night/early morning traffic lights; will not use shoulders and blind-side overtaking to gain advantage on other drivers, will be attentive to the road and road conditions at all times to cater for the unexpected, be less prone to fiddle with the dashboard radio/CD dials while zipping along at speed, carry on a lengthy, involved cell phone chat while negotiating difficult traffic and road situations.

Traffic on the road is all of us who are on the road at that time. Persons who consider the values of ROAD SENSE are always aware of their surroundings and the current traffic density, and so avoid making the kinds of daredevil moves that only cause grief; even if small-scale.

Be more mindful that right now, you are not doing enough to minimise a road accident with your style of driving.
This is the essence of ROAD SENSE.
Michael Coryat, Cascade

DEAR EDITOR: The news of a 13 year-old child giving birth to a baby at the San Fernando General Hospital, again raised a few eyebrows. I say “again” because 13 year-olds giving birth in this country, is nothing new nor strange.

Many radio talk show hosts entertained debates on whether the perpetrators should be jailed in lieu of the laws which prohibit sexual intercourse with a minor consenting or not. It was later learnt that some youths ranging in ages 13 to 16 have been arrested for now what is identified as rape.

Now that we know that this situation was induced by a vicious act of school children and not a relative as was suspected, it adds a different flavour to this callaloo.

Many new questions now come to mind. How did the parents of the accused react? I recall many years ago in Central, a mother went to the home of a youth who was identified as the rapist of her deaf daughter who subsequently became pregnant.

She, the mother, got the shock of her life to see “high fives” and pats on the young man’s shoulder, as the response of his parents and relatives. That young lady was forced to bring up her son without any support from the child’s father or relatives.

More questions include – is putting these kids behind bars a good thing? Will they be subjected to DNA testing to ascertain the father of the child?

Are the parents of the accused going to be in denial in order to protect their minors? Parents spend a lot of time preparing their daughters for the real world, but how many parents talk to their sons about respect for the opposite sex?

Good parenting is not only about providing necessities for the family. It is also about developing good character in children so that when they grow to become adults, they will respect their parents, authority, the environment, themselves and each other.
Carl Lynch, Chaguanas