Seeking Causes of Farmers’ Market Tragedy

Did we really need the California Highway Patrol to do an “elaborate, second-by-second reconstruction” of the Santa Monica Farmers’ Market crash to determine that it was caused by “driver error” (Dec. 4)? The vehicle was found to be in working order almost immediately after the incident. Before authorities waste any more of our money prosecuting the 86-year-old driver, they should consider that many of the surviving victims are suffering severe financial hardship from medical costs and loss of income. Why not spend our resources assisting them instead of punishing an old man who has already been condemned to a fate worse than prison?

Daniel Slocum Hinerfeld

Santa Monica

*

The CHP blamed driver error in the Santa Monica Farmers’ Market crash. What the CHP report apparently missed was the lack of solid protective barriers for the open market (e.g., removable iron posts) in place during the weekly street closures. Without them it will happen again.

D. A. Papanastassiou

San Marino

*

Let me get this straight. A man with traces of alcohol in his blood crosses the train tracks in Burbank, through lowered crossing arms, flashing lights and blaring bells only to be hit by a Metrolink train and killed -- and it’s Burbank’s fault, according to a federal report (Dec. 3). Then a senior citizen runs his car through a farmers’ market in Santa Monica, killing 10 and wounding scores more and that accident is blamed on human error. Can someone please, please, explain this to me?

Hector Reyes

Burbank

*

The tragedy of the 86-year-old driver involved in the market crash is disturbing because AARP, with its opposition to stricter testing for older drivers, refuses to endorse the notion that elderly drivers may represent a risk because of the known infirmities that are associated with that age group and that increase with the aging process. I am a 79-year-old physician who believes that we should be tested once a year after the age of 75.

AARP keeps its head in the sand, claiming that younger drivers may also be accident-prone. That is true, of course, and I am aware that losing one’s license at any age can be catastrophic for that person. But someone must recognize that this is a societal problem that we must deal with, just as we restrict licensing of drunk drivers, reckless drivers, etc. If we start with this age group, then perhaps we can better deal with the other groups.

Harry Shragg MD

Los Angeles