Carbon Trace

I’m inspired by the story on the front page of the Springfield News-Leader today. The man who hit a teenage pedestrian in September will face charges for careless and imprudent driving for going 55 in a 40 mph zone. The police say his speed caused the crash that nearly killed Kimberly Armstrong.

The inspiring part is that Ms. Armstrong and her father have forgiven the driver:

Kimberly’s father, Bill Armstrong, said he spoke with Harper after the charge was filed Tuesday.

“I just don’t want to see Scott go to jail,” Bill Armstrong said. “I don’t think he’s earned that. A lot of things led up to it, but it was an accident.”

He said his daughter was “upset” about the charge being filed. “Kimberly likes Scott. She doesn’t want to see this happen to him.”

Harper was unavailable for comment, but Bill Armstrong said he and his daughter plan to support Harper at his trial. “If Scott wants us there and he needs us there we’ll be there,” he said.

I think there is too little forgiveness in this world. I’m not so sure I could be forgiving in this circumstance. Now I have a model in the Armstrongs.

But I also have a problem.

I’m afraid their forgiveness may be playing a role in their interpretation of this crash. This was most certainly not an accident. Ms. Armstrong was nearly killed as a predictable result of the driver’s bad behavior. The judge should not take the Armstrong’s forgiveness into account. That would send a bad message.

Here’s what the police say:

Officer James Hinkle concluded Harper was traveling 15 miles above the 40 mph speed limit, and that was a key factor in the collision.

“It is my opinion that this crash is the result of inattention and excessive speed of Mr. Harper,” Hinkle wrote in his report.

“If Mr. Harper had seen Ms. Armstrong in the crosswalk when he crested the hill, he would have had time to react to either avoid the accident or reduce his speed substantially.

“Had he been going the speed limit, this collision would have been avoided entirely.”

Note the language — crash and collision (although, yes, he does use the A-word once — two outta three ain’t bad, I suppose). Note, too, in the story that despite the possibility that Ms. Armstrong was crossing against the light, she is not being blamed. She was a pedestrian in a crosswalk, which is a lot like saying “She was the queen of the road.”

Forgiveness is a personal thing. That the Armstrongs have offered it and the driver accepted it is a moment of grace in the nasty world of American traffic. The judge, however, should send the driver — all drivers of dangerous machines — a message.

Technorati Tags: crazy drivers, pedestrian safety