The importance of good driving decisions

By Casey Simoneau

Casey Simoneau (third from right), with his family

It was an unexpected call when asked to do a follow-up to the blog that I wrote nine years ago. Many lives have been changed since that time, including my own. I no longer work for the Kansas Highway Patrol, but I am running my own business and serving as Mayor of Baldwin City. However, past experiences always stay and impact your future decisions, and my work for the Kansas Highway Patrol is no exception to the rule.

As my life may have taken on a new direction, the memories from my time in law enforcement still impact me even more now than before. When I wrote the previous story, I had one child. But now I have three children and one on the way. I still find myself driving the same highways I once patrolled and continue to be reminded of the fatalities I had worked in those specific areas. I use those moments to explain to my children the importance of good decisions. 

Each person has decisions to make, and sometime those decisions have a positive or negative impact on another person in our communities. Unfortunately, often times the decision to drive while impaired, with alcohol or drugs, have a more immediate impact on families, friends and communities. Those decisions lead to memories and pain that is never forgotten.  

I still drive K-10 and see the cable barriers that were installed after a traffic accident that I worked involving young children. I often tell the story of a sibling of the deceased child. I remember her sitting on my lap on the days following the accident and giving her a Trooper Bear. Those memories do not leave me.

A community came together and mourned the loss of the child and rallied around the family to create change so that it did not happen to another family. Cable barriers were installed shortly after to help lessen the opportunity of that type of event occurring again.   TOGETHER this community helped to save lives.

This is the most profound memory of all the fatalities that I worked. I often find myself thinking about what could have been. The sister would be nearing her teenage years now and all she has is a distant memory of her brother. She will never have the same experiences as others. She will not remember fighting with her brother, celebrating with her brother or snuggling her brother. A community lost the opportunity to see a child grow. All these lives changed over a person’s bad decision. Often poor decisions can be made right, but this one can never be undone.

Please think before you drive as you do not know the negative impacts of your decision to your family, friends and community. It may be a decision that cannot be made right and can leave many lives changed forever.

Casey Simoneau is the Mayor of Baldwin City

Link to previous blog here