Editorial: Rules save lives

Most teenagers at some stage in their lives think they have it tough.

They likely complain their parents come down too hard on them and there are too many rules.

But when you look at what happened with the death of Jesse Howe nearly three years ago, it is no wonder parents worry and (some) impose strict boundaries.

Jesse was only 17 when his life was snatched away needlessly.

He was in a situation that would make most parents of teenagers cringe.

There were 12 of them in a van travelling from a party in Taupo to Rotorua on the open road early in the morning. None of the young people was wearing seatbelts, in fact it was worse than that, they were sitting on a couch which had been put in the back of the van.

I'm sure the ride home was like a party on wheels, but that party came to a grinding halt when the driver, Aaron Gourlay, slammed into a bank, rolling and skidding the van.

He lost control of his van only minutes after sending a text - something which he had been doing for 13 minutes leading up to the crash.

The state of Gourlay's van added to the recipe for disaster. The front left tyre was bald, only had three of the five wheel nuts holding it on and it had been put on wrong.

While it is devastating Jesse lost his life, it is something of a miracle none of the others weren't killed.

So next time your parents start "at you" about not being able to do this or go to that, just remember they are doing it for a reason.

They could be saving your life.