Letter to the Editor - Thursday May 31, 2012

One fatal moment

Friday, May 25, would have been Grant's 18th birthday. Instead of celebrating with him, we celebrated his memory.

That evening I received a call from Tom Petricevich to see if I had seen the Thursday edition of your paper. He told me of your story about the Kaitaia police and their district-wide sting to catch drivers who are caught speeding past stationary school buses that have stopped to let children on and off. This was something to celebrate.

Grant was hit by a vehicle after he forgot to stop for a moment and think, and ran across the road. That moment cost him his life.

As drivers, we need to take an extra moment ourselves to think for the vulnerable children and ultimately prevent a tragedy such as Grant's. The grief that families live with after events like this are indescribable, and I can only imagine the grief that the driver of the vehicle will be living with as well.

Since losing Grant, I have spent these four years going to schools and groups and sharing what happened in the hope that it raises awareness, and prevent similar tragedies happening to others.

Tom has had signs put on the back of Petricevich buses to help remind drivers of the 20km/h rule.

Ultimately, it is our aim to see flashing lights installed on every school bus in New Zealand, and there are positive indicators now that this could happen.

Awareness is the key, but for the drivers out there who simply don't care and choose to not change their ways, then I hope that this campaign will hit them where it hurts, before they hurt or kill a child.

I commend the police for taking this hard approach. A simple message to remember - Kill your speed, not a Child.

Thank you for your story.

LISA COLLINS

A Forever Grieving Mother

Rotorua