Use tragedy to change the law

When faced with a difficult situation we can either curse the darkness or light a candle. In an editorial on July 24, the Daily Herald chose to curse the darkness. The editorial dealt with the tragic death of 18-year-old Gabriella Drozdz. She was walking in the roadway in Lake Zurich with two of her friends. A car struck her from behind and killed her. Her two friends were not touched.

All the Daily Herald did was beat up on the motorist. It was the popular thing to do. It was the sort of thing that causes lynch mobs. It did not address what caused this accident. First of all, it is illegal to walk in the road with your back to traffic. The law is specific in saying that you must face traffic. Second the fact that her two friends were not struck indicates that they were walking in a bunch, not single file. She was obviously the one farthest out in the road. The law is not specific on this issue. How about the Daily Herald leading the way to amend the law?

The Daily Herald is sold mostly in the suburbs. The farther out you go from Chicago the fewer the sidewalks.

Even inside Chicago people frequently run in the street with their back to traffic. Where are the police? Would it really inflict a hardship on them to enforce the law?

Where are the educational programs in grammar schools? The first thing that I learned as a Boy Scout 60 years ago was that you walk single file facing traffic. Will the Daily Herald or anyone else please light a candle”?

Paul Johnson

Chicago