Tragedy Beyond Words

 While “Days of Rage” are making headlines and Grad rockets keep coming from Gaza,

the new Trophy defense system destroyed a rocket-propelled grenade before it hit a tank.

If we could only successfully disarm the deadly weapons lurking on the Jerusalem streets.

 Road deaths in Israel increased by 11% in 2010.

 Drivers talking on cell phones, not yielding to pedestrians, speeding, running red lights,

and just plain aggressive and careless driving

not only knock down signs and cause property damage,

    but also cause serious injury and death.

One year after Brian Atinsky’s family was wiped by a reckless driver,  he is in the Knesset fighting for reforms.

Tragedy after tragedy, and now

MK Robert Tibayev is chairing a new subcommittee for the War on Traffic Accidents. 

Sadly, it is all too little to late for Nachum Eliezer Raanan ben Yosef  haKohen,

 a man of poise and wisdom, advisor and dear friend to many;

 a husband, father and grandfather who gave much to his family and communities around the world,

and had so much more to live for.

However, his life was cut short by a bus while crossing Emek Refaim Street in the Germany Colony.

It doesn’t have to be that way.

In Eilat, there are no traffic lights–only traffic circles or roundabouts,

and drivers are careful to stop for pedestrians at the cross walks.

 

Thousands of new cars are off-loaded daily in the port in Eilat and

huge carriers take them north where demand grows in spite of the ever-rising price of gas.

Some Jerusalem streets are old, narrow and crowded, but

90-95% of traffic accidents are caused by careless or negligent drivers.

Where are the days of rage against this outrage?

No more excuses… we must have safer streets… and now.