How would you punish woman who hit 5-year-old?

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How would you punish woman who hit 5-year-old?

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Staff Writer

in Opinions

Thursday, December 10. 2009

Comments (20)

An 82-year-old woman hit and killed a five-year-old child who was getting off a school bus in Cobb County Wednesday. There is no question the oldster was at fault.

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#1 Anonymous on 12/10/09 at 11:25 AM

I've thought for years that there should be an age limit for driving. I don't know why there's not.
I really feel for that lady though. I know this was not intentional. I know she has so much guilt on her.

#2 Anonymous on 12/10/09 at 11:45 AM

They really should be age limit on driving like they is for 16 years old. And why did she not swerve to the left instead of the right of the bus?

#3 Mags on 12/10/09 at 12:35 PM

Punishment should be the same as the law allows for any other licensed Georgia Driver. I believe a law should be passed to require a driving and written test again at a certain age, maybe 70, because there have been numerous cases of elderly drivers causing accidents that are out of the norm (accidentally stepping on gas instead of brake, etc)
My stepfather is 80 and I'm uneasy when I ride with him because his response time. So sad for this family that lost their 5 year old especially at Christmas.

#4 Trisha Dabbs on 12/10/09 at 01:06 PM

When my father started having frequent fender benders, I intervened and had his license revoked. It broke my heart and his also. Still, it was better than having to live with a death I could have prevented.

#4.1 Trisha Dabbs on 12/10/09 at 02:23 PM

I didn't answer the question. Is 82 too old to drive> It depends on the person. Testing needs to be done on a regular basis. My Dad was 70: he just couldn't see well.
The prison system is not for this lady. She will doubtless suffer enough. Perhaps some financial restitution should come into play although it could never be enough. I do understand that the family does not have funds for the funeral and that could be a start.
As for driving again, who would ever insure her?

#4.1.1 The General on 02/02/11 at 04:23 PM

Any one of those popular minimum coverage insurance companies will insure her. She will just lose everything she has next time. That is if the lawsuit against her now doesnt already exceed her maximum coverage. Like "Mayhem" says on the Allstate commercial "If you went with one of those minimum coverage insurance companies you might be paying for this yourself". I think this incident will change her mind about driving.

#5 Skye's Mom on 12/10/09 at 01:07 PM

I think they should do written, road, and vision tests yearly on anyone age 65 and over. No offense to anyone but it's about the safety of everyone including yourself. I can't even imagine how the lady feels but I do not think she should have to spend the rest of her life in prison. She should never drive again and possibly go to an assisted living place because she will drive herself crazy thinking about what happened.

#6 Amanda on 12/10/09 at 09:46 PM

I think that anyone who wants to drive past the age of 70 should be required to take a road and vision test every year. This is a terrible tragedy that could have been easily prevented. I work in an insurance office and am so worried for many of our clients - they have accident after accident, with no one there to stop them. It's so sad.

#6.1 Angela Sims on 12/14/09 at 09:30 PM

I agree and I would even go as far as to legislate periodic testing road testing and reflex/response testing as early as 60 or 65 just to get a fair evaluation of the rate in which the impairments are worsening. One of my own family members was in a near-fatal crash a few years back in Carrollton with the same circumstances; an elderly lady ran a red light on Hwy 166 and T-boned the car at full speed and only by an act of God did my cousin survive. How many more people have to become victims before something is done?

#7 Anonymous on 12/15/09 at 09:45 AM

up north in some states at age 80 you are required to taken a written and road test to renew your license, you must take one every year after that...

#7.1 Sheila Tolley on 12/15/09 at 05:25 PM

In the South we call that discrimination.

#8 Sheila Tolley on 12/15/09 at 05:23 PM

If older people should take tests every year...everyone should. Check your accident records before putting old people in the lead.

#8.1 Anonymous on 12/17/09 at 02:08 PM

My 12 year old probably feels discriminated against also. We should just let everyone drive.

#8.2 DrivingMissTolley on 02/02/11 at 02:20 PM

Dont get all mad Sheila. Your showing your age. LOL. I am sure you can drive a lot better than my 18 year old nephew after he drinks a 12 pack, smokes a blunt, and leaves Griffin heading for Buckhead. If you want to make the highways safer target the people who cause the most accidents. DOT reports put old folks way down on the list. They might as well subject young drivers to random drug test if they are going to target old folks. In the grand scheme of things old folks are not the greatest danger on the roads.

Amazing Fact: No one lives forever.
In fact we all die.

#9 doesn't really matter, now does it? on 12/17/09 at 07:44 AM

There is NOT enough testing for ANY driver here in Georgia, no matter the age. Also, many states have a Drivers Education program within the high schools that I wish we had here in Georgia. That's one program that I would gladly pay higher taxes for if it would better educate young drivers & help lower insurance rater for ALL drivers not just the new ones.

#9.1 fat bass tard on 02/02/11 at 10:12 AM

lord, don't say that too loud. if the school board hears they'll increase the budget to 30 million and claim it was for driver's ed.

#10 Epic Beard Man on 02/02/11 at 05:16 AM

All the old farts need to stay in their nursing homes. Stop menacing our streets with your oversized Buicks, Cadillacs and OLDSmobile!

Somebody call Amber Lamps!

#10.1 clean shaven eddie on 02/02/11 at 10:08 AM

peeka boo..quit hiding behind that beard mayhem! at least we drive.

#11 Gods Great Plan on 02/02/11 at 02:08 PM

Accidents do happen. I am sure the guilt she feels now is worse than anything you could do to her. Heck if you went to a Christian church this Sunday they would tell you this accident "all part of Gods great plan". And even though no one goes to heaven until Jesus returns (as it is written anyhow) they will tell you there is a new angel in heaven." Weird folks to me. Seems like they took Christianity so far out of context so people can use it for a band-aid for their wounds. No burning antiseptic, just a band aid and a little kiss. But if you are truly worried about safer roads you are targeting the wrong people. More accidents are caused by people under the influence than anyone else. Young folks cause more damage than old folks. That is a fact.

#12 Martha Pielston on 02/02/11 at 04:32 PM

Even the staff writer is too afraid to write their name. You are all crazy. If I didnt have dial up I would really give you a piece of my mind. You people are not real. I think you are aliens from another planet. I will never visit this site again. When you see how much you miss me you will all start using your real names. You can not blame anybody else for me not returning but yourselves. Try living with that. May God have mercy on your souls!

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