For 86 years, he was simply George.
To his family and friends, he was a kind and charming man who always had an extra smile for those he met. All of that changed last week when George made the fateful decision to drive his dark-red Buick LeSabre to the farmer's market in Santa Monica, Calif.
For two-and-a-half blocks, George pressed down on the accelerator as hard as he could and drove the 3,558-pound car through screaming and terrified shoppers. When it was over, 10 people -- including a 3-year-old -- had used up their allotment of tomorrows, and the survivors were left with one mind-numbing question: "Why?"
Bruce Jackson, editor of buffaloreport.com, wrote in the political newsletter "Counterpunch" that he overheard the following conversation between two visibly shaken residents of Santa Monica:
"It was a terrorist," someone said. "He just drove through here at 80 miles an hour and kept on going."
"How do you know it was a terrorist?" someone asked.
"Who else would do something like this?" the first man said.
The "terrorist" turned out to be an 86-year-old retired salesman, who told police that he thought he was pushing down on the brake instead of the gas pedal. Post-arrest testing showed that he was not under the influence of alcohol or any other drug that might have impaired his ability to drive. Santa Monica police have blamed the tragedy on one factor -- George's age.
It now seems evident to just about everyone that George had no business behind the wheel of a motor vehicle. Communities from coast to coast are questioning whether elderly drivers should be retested at regular intervals to retain their licenses.
The issue should spark much debate locally. The DiCamillo Bakery on Niagara Falls Boulevard in LaSalle has had two separate incidents in recent years where elderly drivers jumped the concrete parking barriers and smashed through the plate glass window. In both instances, the drivers said they thought they were stepping on the brake and not the accelerator.
It is a situation that is likely to become more frequent unless steps are taken to ensure the competency of older drivers. According to figures released by the U.S. government, Americans over 85 are the country's fastest-growing population segment. There are more than a million Americans over the age of 100. By the year 2020, one in five citizens will be 65 or older.
Few would disagree that physical skills and mental sharpness fade with the passage of time. Teen-agers account for the highest percentage of traffic accidents. In most cases, it is the result of aggressive driving and inexperience. Driver education classes help many teens become safe operators of motor vehicles. The natural progression to maturity lends a hand as well. In the case of drunk drivers, strict penalties have made a huge impact on the problem, as has the practice of having a designated driver.
In the case of elderly drivers, things become a bit stickier. In most instances, an elderly driver who has lost the skills needed to operate an automobile safely has been a licensed driver for decades. Most people view driving as a right, not a privilege, and as such aren't too keen on having their car keys forcibly removed from their hands. Often family members are reluctant to tell Mom or Pop that it's time to garage the Chrysler for good, because they don't want the burden of shuttling their parents to and fro to fall into their already harried lives.
According to The Road Information Program (TRIP), a non-profit highway research group, the number of people 70 or older who died in car crashes between 1991 and 2001 increased 27 percent. The number of licensed drivers 70 or older increased 32 percent over the same period. Senior drivers are more likely than younger ones to be involved in accidents due to driver error. And they are more likely to die in an accident than younger drivers, due to age-related frailty of bones.
In some states, family members can send a form to the Department of Motor Vehicles if they think an elderly relative is unsafe behind the wheel. The DMV will then schedule an eyesight and driving retest. Many senior advocate groups such as AARP feel their members are being unfairly targeted.
Hazen Awad, 64, of Fremont, Ohio, spoke for many seniors when he told a Central Ohio newspaper, "I wouldn't mind being tested when I get older, but I think teen-agers are worse because they get in more accidents. I plan on driving until I'm in my 90s."
A fair compromise would be for drivers in New York, beginning at age 65, to take a road test every four years along with their required eye exam.
To terrorize is to frighten, alarm or startle through one's deeds or actions. Last week a Buick LeSabre became a weapon of mass destruction in California.
For 86 years he was simply George. Today he is known -- in the same manner as serial killers -- by his full name, George Russell Weller. The state of California has already revoked his driver's license, and he will likely stand trial for the vehicular homicide of 10 people who were just looking to put some fresh fruit and vegetables on the table.
The sad irony is that this kind man with a smile for everyone will go down in history with this shameful moniker -- accidental terrorist.
| Niagara Falls Reporter | www.niagarafallsreporter.com | July 29 2003 |