This is so sad. Even though I have no knowledge of the cause of this accident, I have seen the consequences of inexperience, inattention and outright carelessness first hand.

I think that professional driver training should be mandatory, only one passenger should be allowed with new drivers for the first couple years, and the use of boom boxes and cell phones in vehicles should be outlawed.

I believe we need to reduce the distractions where ever we can when driving and pay attention to the road more.

What ever we to to accomplish that will improve the statistics. Percy

I don't see a problem with cell phones if they're hands free. I see people all the time yapping on their phone and holding up traffic because they're incapable of performing these tasks at the same time. Some can and some can't so due to the safety factor we should all be hands free when it comes to phones--and that includes the cops. Boom boxes are a distraction a lot of the time (I use one on the highway and I like my music LOUD. This is a personal thing and I don't use it when travelling with others in the vehicle. Can't really say it effect my driving but with a bunch of teenagers 'rockin' down the road it could be a safety factor.

I'm not sure that professional driver traing is any good for anyone. Talk to anyone who goes through the drivers test lately and its a big pile of crap. "you turned right too close to the curb--there may have been someone there and you would have hit them" That's a statement my son received when taking his test. The driver testing here is all about fear rather than confidence. Teach people confidence in themselves and they'll be good drivers. I was re-trained to drive when I joined the military in 1962 and learning all over again with a new attutude was the best thing that ever happened.
% different vehicles every day for 1 week. Skid school on pavement and skid school on water and then ice and snow. How to drive in various conditions faster than normal driving. How to do U turns using the park brake etc etc. Building your confidence and at the a same time telling you it is not accepted practice on public roads. That's what we need now---driver training that helps you understand what to do with a few tons of metal under different conditions. You can say what you like about the testing but in my opinion those (arrogant)people should be fired and we should get back to reality.

Good points Mike. I forgot how I got my driving experience.

I used to race snowmobiles professionally. I grew up on motorcycles. I raced cars and dunebuggy's on the ice at 6 mile lake. I entered car rally's, hill climbs and autosport gymcana's with my Toyota Celica and Honda Civic back in the early 70's.

I learned how to do handbrake turns at 50 miles an hour. Backing up between alternating pilons using only your mirrors for the length of the Parkwood Parking lot. And, doing donuts in the parking lots after the first snow fall.

Was everything I was doing legal? probably not, but I learned how to drive.

I also drove tractor trailer units, straight jobs and motorholmes and pulled a trailer to Mexico. The only really valuable training I received was through experience, but also with others with experience. Percy