|
Warricknews - News
If you would like to search one of the papers individually, please visit our "Advanced Search" page.
Groves pushes for legislation
Posted: Wednesday, Jan 16, 2008 - 10:29:14 am EST
By Nathan Blackford - Warrick Publishing Online
 | | Kasey Groves, 8, remains in a wheelchair after being struck by a reckless driver while exiting her school bus a couple of months ago. |
|
Krista Groves wants to make sure no other children have to suffer the same injuries as her daughter, Kasey, did less than three months ago. And she’s enlisted the help of State Representative Suzanne Crouch.
Eight-year-old Kasey Groves is a student at Castle Elementary School. She exited her school bus across from her home on State Road 261 on Nov. 26, and followed the proper safety procedures as she started to cross the road.
The school bus’ stop arm was extended, and the lights were flashing.
But seconds later, Kasey was struck by an oncoming car, driven by Marlene Helms of Boonville, who failed to stop for the bus.
Kasey survived, but her leg was broken so badly that she’s needed multiple surgeries, with at least one more to go.
Kasey has returned to school, but only for half-days. She’ll celebrate her ninth birthday in a wheelchair, and no one knows yet when she’ll be able to walk again.
Her medication helps numb the pain, but it also makes her unable to think clearly.
Within two days of the accident, Krista Groves had discovered something that made her angry: Indiana drivers who strike children are subject to no more punishment than those who strike mailboxes. So she went into action.
“It has been a big education,” she said. “I just assumed the laws were there, that if you were that negligent and ran a stop arm that the laws were there to punish you. And then finding out that the laws were not there was hard to believe. As soon as I found out that the most this lady was going to get was a $160 ticket, I started calling my state representatives. It was going to get fixed.”
When Crouch (R-Evansville) was contacted, she acted quickly. Crouch, whose Indiana House of Representatives District 78 covers parts of Vanderburgh, Warrick and Spencer counties, has introduced legislation that would substantially increase the penalties for running a school bus stop sign and causing injury.
Rep. Phil Hoy has cosponsored the bill.
“This just makes so much sense,” said Crouch. “When you realize that the penalty for hitting a child is the same for hitting a mailbox, it is very obvious that needs to be corrected. When something like this happens and a constituent is pro-active enough, then the rest becomes pretty easy.”
Reckless drivers who run a school bus stop sign and cause bodily injury to a person could be convicted of a class A misdemeanor under the bill.
If convicted, the maximum penalty would be up to 1 year of imprisonment or a $5,000 fine.
If the driver causes serious injuries — as would have been the case with Kasey Groves — that driver would be charged with a class D felony, which carries a sentence of up to 3 years in jail or a $10,000 fine. The court would also be required to recommend suspending the person’s driving privileges for at least 90 days.
“We want to make people aware of the seriousness of stopping when the stop signs are extended from school buses,” said Crouch. “We need to protect our young people who are crossing traffic. We want to be sure the penalty fits the act. Raising the penalties should raise the awareness, and hopefully that will save lives.”
If the bill is voted on and passed by the House this year, it will move on to the State Senate. However, if the bill does not get a vote this year, Crouch has vowed to try again to move the bill though in the future.
“We have a very short session, and property tax is dominating the discussion,” said Crouch. “So if we are not successful with this bill this session, we will be back next session. We will continue to move this issue forward until we get the law changed.”
Krista Groves admitted that she wasn’t optimistic about changing the laws at first. She’s been very happy with Crouch and others, who have taken her seriously and have tried to help.
“I am ecstatic that they are paying attention to my little girl and what my little girl had to go through,” she said. “But I am not done by a long shot.”
If Groves has her way, the new law won’t be the last step taken to protect children as they exit school buses.
She also plans to seek grant money for cameras on the buses, so that drivers who go past the stop arms will be captured on video. And she wants more money for police to randomly follow buses to hand out tickets.
“I want to make sure that Kasey and her accident and her ordeal stays on everybody’s minds,” said Krista. “If she is the last kid hit after getting off a bus, that will be the best. I do not want this to ever happen to another family, another child, ever again.”
|
|
 |
Advertisers
Search Site
Enter a keyword:
Tri-State Media Weather
|
|
