Editor’s Note: With “Chris’ Law,” aiming to develop a 21st Century driver’s education curriculum, awaiting Gov. David Paterson’s signature, some of Chris Gentile’s friends are writing letters to alert the governor to the urgency of the issue. Here are two.

‘Every Teen ... Deserves Chance To Live’

Dear Governor Paterson:
Over the last few years I have lost three friends to car accidents. Through these losses I have discovered that there is a way to stop the pain and suffering that I and many other Americans have been through. In America, 6,000 teens die every year due to car accidents, along with that many teens are physically and or mentally injured.
The American government makes education available, and drivers’ training should be a part of that education. If we as Americans cannot keep our children alive through the education system, then we have failed them much more then if they are unable to have an extra study hall or advanced calculus. Those classes are important, but will not do anyone any good if the teen is not alive to use them.
Many of my friends have a lot of potential; however, none of us is very good at driving. I personally have been in an awful car accident where I hydroplaned into a house. It was the scariest moment of my life, I had no idea what to do, and I am very lucky to be alive.
My friends and family members have had similar experiences. For example, someone you know, my uncle Marty Mack, has a daughter who almost died in a car accident daughter. Sarah Mack got in awful car accidents because she could not gauge a turn.
I believe that teens must be taught to drive, and the 21st Century Driver’s-Training Program, which we have set up at Cooperstown Central School, can do that.
In order for that, and other successful state-of-the-art programs to ever be implemented, passing the bill S.6985 is essential.
I hope you have not and will not experience the pain of losing a teen to inexperienced driving or anything else. I will let you know there is no pain greater than losing a friend or loved one when you know that something could have been done to prevent it.
You will keep many towns and schools from being turned upside down, in turn lessening emotional pain. You will decrease the economic cost of accidents by having better drivers and fewer accidents. The biggest problem you will be solving is the loss of our future.
Every teen out there has something to contribute and deserves the chance to shine.
LINDSAY M. ROWLEY
Cooperstown

‘Our Lives Depend on It’

Dear Governor Paterson,
I’ve had two minor accidents within my first two years of driving. Many of my brother’s and my friends have had accidents. Some totaled their family car.
My brother’s first accident took his life. He was driving 60-65 mph on a 55-mph country road without a seat belt on his way to church on Holy Thursday 2007, when someone swerved into his lane to avoid hitting a possum.
He ultimately lost control of the Jeep and rolled the jeep trying to avoid hitting her car. Not only would driver training have helped him, but also it might have prevented the other driver from crossing over into Chris’ lane instead of hitting the possum.
We are not prepared to face the challenges of weather, animals, and country road conditions without driver education and training. If we are not trained to be good drivers as teens, we will not be good drivers as adults!!
New York State needs to educate its teens, in schools, with a state of the art driver-training program such as 21st Century Driver Training!!
Restrictions alone do not work! We need to educate and train teens before they begin to drive unsupervised on the road!!
It is very important that you make Bill S.6985 law as quickly as possible. Our lives depend on it!!
ROBERT J. GENTILE
Cooperstown

Labels: Opinion