Letter: More highway barriers needed

Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2002 | 9:09 a.m.

In January of 2001, my 17-year-old daughter was driving home to Boulder City from her school in Las Vegas. Heading south on U.S. 95, between Russell and Sunset roads, she was driving 70 mph behind a jeep, and the jeep swerved to miss a huge piece of a tire from a semi-truck that was in the road.

My daughter was right behind the jeep and she swerved also. But she was the inexperienced driver and lost control of her car. She fish-tailed and slammed into the concrete barrier four times at 70 mph.

At one point she became airborne and nearly went over the other side into oncoming traffic. Had it not been for the concrete barriers, I wouldn't have my daughter now, because that accident had the potential to be deadly. She walked away with seat-belt injuries and a totaled-out car, scared to death but safe.

We lectured her on following too closely and not being prepared for the unknown because there should have been more room between her and the car in front of her. She didn't get a ticket because apparently she had done everything right and it was blamed on driver inexperience. But I believe all accidents can be prevented.

My heart goes out to the family of the woman and her son who were recently killed on U.S. 95 in the northwest part of the valley. This could have been prevented, too. There should be no question on placing concrete barriers anyplace where there is a lot of traffic. The highways also need to be cleared of debris. We also are dodging obstacles on the highways all the time.

DONNA CURRY