Tragedy is a sad reminder to buckle up, drive safe, follow rules of the road
Statement of Alderman José G. Pérez November 11, 2015
I join other members of the South Side community this week in grieving the death of 14-year-old Zaira Tellez, a student at St. Anthony’s who was killed in a car crash while riding with a driver who was not even old enough to drive. My thoughts are with the family as they mourn the passing of their daughter, and I hope that with the support of the community, they will be able to find some peace.
This tragedy is compounded by the fact that it was entirely preventable. Too often in the South Side’s 12th Aldermanic District, we get reports of young people—and even grown adults—driving recklessly. It’s every resident’s responsibility to make this a safe place to live by obeying the rules of the road and driving carefully.
It takes just a few seconds to buckle a seat belt. But that moment in time can make the difference between a car crash from which you can walk away unscathed and another roadside tragedy.
Please, when you get home from work today, hug your children. Remind them that it’s never safe to ride in a car with an unlicensed, underage driver. Urge them to drive reasonably and cautiously when they do get behind the wheel. And make a point to emphasize the importance of wearing a seatbelt, so more tragedies like this can be avoided.
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
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