July 6, 2018
EDITORIAL – Justice system: buck stops with the individual
WEST SHORE VOICE NEWS EDITORIAL, by Mary P Brooke
Charges — a lot of them — were laid this week against the driver of the large transport truck that crashed into the bus carrying the Humboldt Broncos team on April 6. If any of the charges stick, the driver is likely to spend a long time behind bars.
This is just one situation where it behooves a look at how our justice system focuses on the individual at the end-point of a likely a series of actions or misjudgements on the part of many others.
For instance, why was the intersection of Highways 35 & 335 left with no stop sign for one direction, but required it of the other, especially apparently locals and others knowing that a stand of trees created a visual block (a previous crash there years before was an indicator)? Would the owner/trainer at the driving training school or the school’s accreditation system have failed at some level? Will they find that perhaps some electronics on the truck may have malfunctioned, putting a manufacturer at fault?
Not to any way excuse the actions of the driver fatefully caused the crash, but things that lead to a sad scenario are often not held accountable by the legal system. Likely the intersection will be upgraded, training might be improved, and recommendations may be made to manufacturers. All of it after the fact.
This article was first published on page 2 in the July 6, 2018 Community Summer Season Issue of West Shore Voice News
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