Editorial: death takes some other soul, some other place

Photo: SCANPIX

A tragic accident like the recent one in Tartu County will never fail to shake us all. It's surely the worst for loved ones, but the impact is broader. The feeling of helplessness makes tens of thousands seek the culprits, curse the government, the youth, the traffic, and «blurt it all out». Meanwhile, the root of the problem feels evasive. What do we do? 

Understandably, our reason kicks in to somehow classify and rationalise the baddy. A look into the eerie background, this time, makes this a piece of cake. Even so, even if to remain human, we could at least show some pity to the families of those who perished... it were four who perished.  

True: whatever could ever be wrong with an incident, this time it was. Drunk and speeding. Repeatedly. On old car. The sins register rather impressive.

Popular, in this light, probably the stand taken by justice minister Urmas Reinsalu: punishments must increase in severity, for repeated traffic offences. Will the policy really help, or is this another vain one-off reaction to a single case?

In an interview to radio Kuku yesterday, senior police superintendent Riho Tänak said they do catch a yearly haul of some 8,000 drunk drivers, while mere quarter of these could be cured by penalties. Meaning, the remaining ¾ would be unaffected even by penalties.

But what would help, then? Only an attitude altering shift in society, one would suggest. We will not drive with such. We will not let them take the wheel. A clear signal that this is not tolerated. That this is not fun, this is not cool. That this is a crime against oneself, especially towards the others.

So we have our work cut out. Uprooting the mentality of «accidents happen someplace else, with someone else». The stupidity and the selfishness thereof...