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OBSERVATIONS
June 10, 2021 |
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 Wingate Lassiter |
Speeding: another epidemic that's
threatening our personal safety
A series of stories --- very long stories --- in Raleigh's News and Observer this week documented what's obvious for those of us who care about such matters:
Speeding on our highways and byways is a social epidemic that's spinning more and more out of control.
The reasons for it are obvious:
• Law enforcement is scarce. You rarely see a Highway Patrol vehicle along the Interstates, much less a speeder "pulled over" by an officer.
• Everybody else is flouting the speed-limit law, so why not join 'em.
• If you're unlucky enough to get caught, your speeding charge will be reduced by the overwhelmed and understaffed judicial system, thereby saving you from the high fines and costly points on your automobile insurance that ought to be assessed.
What's the solution?
A little more respect for fellow motorists would be a start, but then that runs counter to the "all about me" attitude pervading our nation these days.
Funding for more patrolmen and judicial officers would surely help. If folks know they're likely to get caught for flagrant speeding and pay a hefty price for it, they'll slow down. Nothing works as well as taking money out of one's pocket.
Surveillance cameras that produce fines for the worst offenders is an effective measure backed up by research. But then there's the political backlash from those who decry "Big Brother." Yet this appears to be a case where we need a "Big Brother" to protect us from those bully speeders who're jeopardizing our safety.
Johnston's newest school campus
It's Thanksgiving Elementary School viewed from a drone launched by Johnston County Public Schools. The Board of Education was told this week that staff will begin moving in by the end of this month to get ready for the school's opening in August. It's located on Lynch Road off NC 42 east of Flowers Plantation.
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