Mr Holding, let’s work to help mend hundreds of broken hearts

Mr. Holding,
Last Sunday morning at 1.20am there was a tragic car accident at the Hallam and Ormond Road intersection. Unfortunately, it had to be three people I knew.
Joel Brimble (the driver) was the guy I was seeing. I used to see Riyani Lowen and Anja Miller at parties. Also my ex-boyfriend Daniel Gibb and Tayla (unknown surname) were in the car and were seriously injured.
What I wanted to bring to your attention was what I have read in the local newspaper that in 2002 the Casey Council came to you and your government to campaign for traffic lights and greater safety at the intersection.
Due to your neglect and the neglect of the goverment my local community has suffered this horrible tragedy.
I would hope that as the local Member of Parliament you would have had the opportunity to argue the case for funding at this intersection, unfortunately you have failed. And because of your failure the families of Joel, Riyani, Anja, the Narre Warren and Hampton Park Community and myself have lost three beautiful people at ages that were too young.
We cannot bring these people back, however lessons can be learnt and future accidents can be prevented.
I also spoke to friends that knew Joel, Riyani and Anja and we came to the idea of Driver Education Programs made compulsory in all secondary schools from year levels 7-12. Have classes from year 7-8 learn what could happen if they get in a car with friends. Show them pictures of exactly what a car looks like after being in an accident and even show them pictures of people who did and even didn’t come out alive from being in a car accident. Get people that have been in minor or serious accidents to stand up in a class room and tell youths just what happens when speeding, drink driving or driving under the influence of drugs.
Let them stand there and tell their story. Let them stand there and tell these future drivers what it’s like to lose a best friend, to wake up in hospital not knowing how you got there or why. If you can do that, just think how many lives you could save in the future. Things like this do make a difference.
It’s just sad that it has taken three lives to bring this to your attention when it could have taken only a few serious injuries that have happened in the past three years from 15 different car accidents. But no three lives taken, only one fatal crash and hundreds of broken hearts.
Danielle Mullins,
Hampton Park.