June 11, 2004
Thomasville -Flashing lights, draped sheets and body bags, an all too familiar scene for EMS workers in South Georgia. The culprit, another four wheeler. "Every fatality hurts," says Michele DeMott with Albany Safe Communities.
Luckily there are no fatalities, no injuries to report today. Just a warning that young people need to stay off the road when riding four wheelers. That's why EMS for Children and Safe Communities teamed up with WALB to shoot a public service announcement that warns kids and parents about ATV dangers.
"ATV's, four-wheelers, are not generally sold by dealers, street legal. They don't have tires that are legal. They don't have headlights and tail lights and blinkers," says DeMott. "The same goes for golf carts. Golf carts are made for golf courses, they're not made to be out on the road."
Even if the ATV's are modified to be street legal, only a licensed driver is allowed on the road, never a child. Debbie Carver, Chairperson of EMS for children says, "Even if we hear one parent say, you know I heard what you said, and because of what you said, I took these steps to prevent my child from getting hurt, that'll make our day."
Because one child killed is one too many. "Those families are irrevocably damaged," says DeMott. "There're holes in those families that can never be filled. That's no regret that any parent should have to live with."
And no parent should have to live without their child. The PSA should begin running on WALB NEWS 10 by the end of next week. EMS for children plans to hold an ATV awareness day in Thomasville on July 17th.
posted at 4:38 PM by karen.collier@walb.com
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