Quesnel has experienced a spate of serious motor vehicle accidents over the last few days suggesting that, for some, saving five minutes may be worth losing a lifetime of smiles. I disagree.
It didn’t take long for comments to arrive at the Observer regarding the photo posted on our website Wednesday evening (Aug. 3), the photo appears on today’s (Aug. 5) front page.
Journalists have several responsibilities and one of those is reporting the news of the community, no matter how awful, how emotional the news might be.
In 2007, the most recent year for which ICBC has published results, 417 people lost their lives in accidents involving motor vehicles and another 25,064 were injured.
That is more than one person a day killed and more than 60 people a day injured in motor vehicle accidents.
Far too many lost smiles, even one smile is too precious to lose.
Reporting statistics is informative, but they are less powerful than a photo showing the consequences of motor vehicle accidents.
Sharing the photos of tragedy, and the stories of tragedy, is to inform the public and hopefully promote dialogue and hopefully promote change such that we no longer have to post photos of tragedy.
Photos show the consequences of trying to save five minutes, show the consequences are not worth losing a lifetime of smiles.
We’ve all seen drivers passing on double lines, passing in blind curves.We’ve all slowed down in the face of a vehicle barreling down on us in the wrong lane trying to pass a vehicle.
Is saving five minutes really worth a lifetime of smiles?
Do you have a friend, sibling, parent or acquaintance that takes these risks? Have you been in a car when the driver took these risks?
Actions speak louder than words.
Refuse to get into the car with them, and tell them why.
Show them the front page photo. Don’t forget to smile.
Percy Hebert - Quesnel Cariboo Observer