Teens’ Suits Over Crash Are Wrong

* I was fascinated by the article “Amanda Is 4th to File Crash Claim” (Nov. 1).

The high school students were out partying late at night; some, if not all, except for the driver, were underage and alleged to have been under the influence.

Ten of these kids pile into a modified, high-profile sport-utility vehicle; some were not wearing safety belts. The claim is that there was excessive speed; the driver loses control on a difficult stretch of highway and the vehicle rolls over, killing one and seriously injuring some of the others.

So, based on the claim the road had some curves and was wet that night, the city (read: you and me) is responsible. Outrageous.

I seem to recall that there is a basic premise in driving that the maximum safe speed is to be determined by local road conditions. Basically, you slow down when the road is wet; you slow down and use caution when the road curves; you use common sense in driving situations. Simple, Driving 101. Sort of a no-brainer.

I’ve driven that stretch of road many times in my high-profile vehicle, in both rain and shine, and have managed to keep the vehicle on the road without a rollover or even a crash.

The injury to Amanda Arthur is truly tragic; the scars and neck pains that the others sustained is unfortunate. We were all teenagers once, too. But I submit that the fault lies only with the driver, with the parents of the kids for poor supervision and training, and not with the city.

BOB MORTON

Dana Point

* Ten teenagers pile into a top-heavy Chevrolet Blazer and, following a rollover accident, eight are thrown from the vehicle.

One of the occupants was killed and the remaining nine are injured. Tragic, indeed. Now, several occupants (and their lawyer, of course) want us to believe that, somehow, this is the fault of Newport Beach? Ridiculous!

This is just one more example of the all-too-common ‘90s philosophy of blaming someone else, anyone else, for one’s own actions.

I can guarantee that a 1989 Blazer is not equipped with 10 seat belts. Your article mentioned that the claims allege that the design of Irvine Avenue was negligent and reckless because of “sharp curves, improper road banking and a sprinkler system that left the road wet.” That’s what the brake is for. If this roadway is so dangerous, I would expect to be reading about accidents here daily. This accident, however, is the only one I recall reading about.

K.J. RAMSEY

Foothill Ranch

* We are truly sorry about the accident involving the Newport Harbor High School kids. We are sorry for the parents who lost their child and the parents of the other students who were injured, but is it really the city’s fault that there were 10 kids in the vehicle, most allegedly without seat belts?

That they allegedly had been drinking alcohol? That the driver allegedly was speeding? A sprinkler spraying the street is not criminal; driving without seat belts, underage drinking and speeding are.

The accident is a tragedy in many ways. One child is gone and others may never be the same. Suits will be filed and the city will spend thousands of tax dollars fighting or settling the case. But an even larger tragedy is that our children are being taught to avoid responsibility for their actions, and we will all suffer the consequences.

PAT JUSTICE

PAM JUSTICE

Huntington Beach