The article does not say the children in the vette were speeding hopefully they were not proms are coming up here and i hope all the kids drive safely it is very sad to see people die so young.

 

This is indeed very sad but it is beyond me why someone would not wear their seatbelts. I mean why wouldnt you??? its right there and its for your protection. Soooo stupid.
I guess I just dont understand because I came from a family where my dad or mom wouldnt even move the car before all belts were on. I also get so irritated when im driving down the road and see a kid playing in the back seat without a belt on. What are people thinking?????

Ok I vented. Prayers are with the families.

 

I would say the exact opposite is true - 15 is to late to start teaching kids how to drive, We need to get them behind the wheel in a controled environment earlier (I was 11 when I learned to drive - back roads of GA) so that by the time they're 16, they know what they're doing.

 

Heartbreaking. Devastating. Very, very sad.

 

What a horrible, and, incomprehensible tragedy. It is a shame when young lives are cut so drastically short. As parents, we really must better prepare, inform, and, IMPRESS upon our children the incredible responsibility, AND, potentially fatal risks of driving any vehicle when one is so very young at 15 and 16 years. Sadly, it is a very difficult issue, and, one not easily, nor, quite comprehensibly accepted and understood when one is so young and full of life. My heart aches for these children who will now never ever see adulthood, AND, painfully breaks for the loving parents whose arms are now empty, and, whose dreams of the future are shattered immeasurably. May Heaven send her angels to comfort and console those left behind with only memories.

 

It is never too early to start learning, I agree, BUT I have ssen too many 16 year old that just are not mature enough or responsible enough to be driving an automobile.
So many, and I would never just generalize and say all, but many 16 year olds these days are so immature. They are too busy playing with cell phones and ipods when they really should be spending 100% of their time behind the wheel concentrating on the task at hand.....

This could be debated for hours and hours and day after day. I am just staing my personal opinion.

I actually did in a way start teaching my daughter how to drive when she was probably about 8 years old. No not in the drivers seat, but she was always with me and I constantly taught her about what we were doing while in the car.... She learned alot from the other seat by being attentive and aware of the grave dangers of how costly a small mistake could be.....
So, I agree with you that it is never too young to start learning, but there are way too many 16 year old that should NOT be driving alone. A parent who cares about the well being of their own child should be the judge of whether their own kid is ready for driving or not......

Here in PA, a 16 year old can get their license all too easily. The test is a joke. That bothers me, but even worse the parents that don't make that decision whether their kid can drive or not.

I'll stop now..... This is a very sore and upsetting subject for me..

 

At those ages no amount of training might help overcome some of their predisposition......
There was a show the other night that evaluated the brains (in different quadrants, etc.) of the earn teens versus later teens and young adults. During the show they were given different driving scenarios and tests and the results were fairly conclusive. Younger drivers (mid teens) take more chances, it is based in their brain neurology. I agree with you though, on the training, etc. but not that early. Mid-age teens (especially males) pull stupid thoughtless acts every once in awhile, and they have a predisposition to do it. As they get older they do less

 

Thats really sad. My heart goes out to the families. As a 17 year old with a Vette I know the temptation is always there to show off or race. It takes a really responsible and mature kid to be able to turn down the temptation. I am living proof that it is possible and you won't get made fun of. I'm very happy cruising slowly in the Vette so all the ladies get a nice glance at the stud driving. I drive a Vette and feel I have nothing to prove to anyone. If someone wants to see how "close" they are to a stock C5, I tell them to go run at the track and see what times they turn, then I will compare them with the average stock C5 time slip.

 

I can't even imagine what you went through and go through (I have a 1 year old). I don't know what to say here, no words.

 

My heart goes out to the families. This really hits home.
I let my nephew(17 yrs) drive him and his date to the prom in
my vette only a week ago. He asked me several times
and I still wasn't sure, but after much preaching to him
and promising me that he would be responsible, I let him
drove it. Fortunately, everything went okay. God Bless.

 

Cart99, could I talk you into deleting your post please? I agree with you that 16 year olds don't belong driving something like a Vette, especially on prom night, but, that said, without knowing more details than any of us know, suppose for a minute his parents loaned him the Vette. How do you think they feel about now, and what do you think they are going thru. We don't even know that it was the Vette driver's fault, or anybody's fault for that matter. Could have been a mechanical failure of some sort. Wish they would have been wearing seat belts though.

As a parent myself, I can't even begin to imagine how a parent could feel after losing a child. Let's not make it worse. Thanks.

 

The absolute best driver training ANY parent can give their child is to buckle that seatbelt the second they get in the car. I noticed in the article that none of the teens were wearing seatbelts.

I can't tell you how grateful I am that my three kids just buckle up as a habit, because that's what they've done (and had done for them before they were able to) for as long as they've been alive. It's absolutely second nature to them.

Having tragically lost my own mother to a single car accident because she was NOT buckled in 12 years ago has made me somewhat of a fanatic on the subject.

 

My father lost his only brother in a motorcycle versus car crash 25 years ago. Because it wasn't a seatbelt issue (head-on with a taxi (no helmet) I sometimes forget to state the importance of seatbelts because it was motorcycle for an 18 year old that tore my family up and took a life way too early.

 

My nephew wanted to borrow the Vette a couple of years ago to go to his prom - Uh, no. I remember how I was behind the wheel of my 69' Camaro with 210hp when I was a kid. Not a good combo.

Just found this link (below), it indicates the Vette crossed over into the lane of the Jeep. I hear anything more on the local news, I'll pass it along.

Wear your seatbelts folks!

God Speed Kids

Chris

http://wcco.com/topstories/local_story_134151007.html

 

I understand your request and have edited my original post -- that was speculation on my part, but knowing how kids typically behave on prom night, not unreasonable IMO. I am also a parent (thankfully, all of them now older than prom age) and can only imagine how this unspeakable tragedy affects those families. But, I also can't imagine lending a Corvette to a 16 year old on prom night.

 

Miss read on my part but either way...it's a tragedy.

I have a house down the shore which I sometimes rent out to young adults and I'm amazed at the lack of maturity of kids now a days. I know we don't know all the facts and it may not have been the young driver's fault at all. Probably a combo of lack of experience with the vehicle, unfamiliarity with the roads...either way it's a shame.

 

 

I feel the same way you do it gets me so mad also when i see alittle kid in the back seat and no belt or no car seat.

 

 

Nothing you said was unreasonable, I'm just saying now is not the time for "shoulda, coulda, woulda", or criticism, but rather a time for prayers for everybody involved. Thanks for the understanding and the edit.