Elderly Driver with Many Offenses Kills Mother and Unborn Child

This is a online news clip from August 22, 2008:

NEW YORK (AP) -- An infant boy delivered prematurely after his traffic agent mother was struck by a van and pinned under a bus has died, authorities said Friday.

Sean Michael Justin Sanz had been in intensive care since he was delivered by Caesarean section shortly after a runaway van hit his mother on August 14. He weighed 3 pounds, 6 ounces at birth.

His mother, traffic agent Donnette Sanz, survived the delivery but died about an hour later in an emergency operating room. She was seven months pregnant.

The van, driven by a 72-year-old man with what authorities say is a long history of driving offenses, hit Sanz when she was crossing a Bronx street on her lunch break. The impact sent her flying into the path of a yellow school bus, which ran her over. About 30 bystanders helped hoist the 5-ton bus from her body in a rescue that made the front pages of the city's tabloid newspapers.

"He meant everything to me," Rafael Sanz said of his tiny son. "He died in my arms."

Sanz had harsh words for the van's driver, Walter Walker: "I hope he really does rot in hell. I hope he dies a horrible death."

This is just another reason there must be regulations surrounding elderly drivers. At what cost do we continue to permit ill-prepared drivers to cause tragedies????

Click here to see a clip from CNN on senior driving mishap

Another reason why reform on senior driving regulations is needed!

Indy 500 in Calgary

If anyone has been to Calgary, they know of the Deerfoot 500. Calgarians are some of the fastest drivers I have ever seen or met in my life. My friend Janie has a little Sunfire and the speeds she drives, I never though a Sunfire was capable of! At one point on our drive to Okotoks, we were cruising along at a mere 150km/hr! Now I self admittedly am a backseat driver, but at 150km/hr who isn't??? What amazes me even more, they are in total control at these speeds. They can manage to smoke, eat, drink coffee and drive! It is rarely you will see an accident or a mishap from these high speeds on the roadways of Calgary. Bravo to Calgarians who drive the Indy 500 each day. Perhaps some of the other cities with Canada's worst drivers should take note: Richmond, BC & Halifax, NS.

Driving to Saint John with Grandpa

Driving to Saint John today gave me a mini heartache. Grandpa in front of me decided to abruptly brake at 100 km/hr and turn left. Isn't there a guideline as to the distance one should safely signal and then brake??? Most people are courteous to do so but perhaps when you age your brain forgets the rules???

quality of life

Once again the back injury strikes again. I awoke at 1am on Monday morning to find I could not move my legs, my back or any part of my body. It took 45 minutes to arise from the bed before my husband rushed me to hospital. I get there to find out I have an inflamed tendon, suspected as a result of my previous injury. I now am on some prescription drugs with nauseating side effects. I walk like I am 100 years old and cannot stand, sit or lay for anymore than 15 minute intervals. My nights are sleepless with constant interruptions from the pain. Never cold or hot compresses ease the pain and the medication is constant.

It has now been more than 14 months since my accident and after thinking I was free and clear of any long term effects, I must think again. I continue to see the elderly driving around my town who should not be driving, making mistakes, taking chances. How long before our system does something about the unjust they cause to innocent victims like me? I'm 36 going on 100.