Slow down a little

Dear Editor,

Patience is a virtue. What do I mean? Well, hopefully this letter will explain it.

I am a mother of two wonderful precious boys and believe me, I have had to learn a lot of patience with them. Probably, as any parent would say, with their kids no matter if they are boys or girls. As parents, we teach our kids that when crossing the street we are to stop and look both ways twice before crossing the street.

Not only do parents teach this but also daycare providers and school teachers. So the kids learn it all around. What does this say when we get behind the wheel of a vehicle? And we as parents go and teach our teenage kids how to drive? Many of you may know what I talking about. For those of you who don't, I'm talking about the tragic accident that occurred almost two weeks ago out at Perry Grain. It is a tragedy that we have to lose someone because of someone failing to stop at a stop sign.

Are some people in such a big hurry to get somewhere that they fail to follow the law? I do quite a bit of traveling between Benkelman and McCook. I have seen a lot of drivers just slowing down and/or pulling out in front of vehicles who are traveling the speed limit.

Some vehicles have had to stop abruptly because the vehicle who pulled out in front of them doesn't get up to speed. The two places that I feel are most common for this is the junction of Highways 6 and 34 and there by Perry Grain. The speed limit is higher now. The next time you stop at a stop sign along the highway, please take a few minutes to look both ways twice like we teach our kids to do when crossing the street.

If you see someone coming, judge their speed and make sure you have enough time so there isn't an accident. And, we also need to pay special attention to semi trucks because they may be going the speed limit but they take a lot more to stop with than a small vehicle especially if the semitruck is loading with cattle, hay, corn, etc. We don't need to lose anyone to more accidents. If anyone who reads the paper, the state of Nebraska has almost doubled last year's numbers of people killed in vehicle accidents. Just slow down and pay a little more attention to what's going on around you.

Next time it may be your loved one. I know that I have talked to quite a few people here in my community and some people still fail to stop at stop signs along the highway even after we had a tragic accident that took a father and daughter north of Benkelman.

I guess if people still fail to follow the laws maybe some of us need to talk the State Patrol, the sheriff's department, or local police. Maybe with enough complaints they will start patrolling a little better.

Thank you,

Jeanette Cappel-Wonderly

Benkelman