AFTERMATH - WHY A WEBSITE?

AFTERMATH
In the aftermath of Jeffrey's death, his family elected to create a website in his memory. "Aftermath" explains the many reasons for the website.

EXPERIENCING THE LOSS
Jeffrey had an intuition in his last days that a major change would take place very soon in his life. He had no idea what that change might be. He expected that he would be reflecting on his achievements and goals on the remaining days before his twenty-ninth birthday. He had no idea that the vision of a self-transformation he had in late June may have been a strange premonition of his own passing.

The devastation we felt spread from one fatality to the whole community in Saskatoon, to everyone who had in some way, been touched by him. Sorrow was widespread. Mourning was tangible in the community where Jeffrey had grown up. Almost a thousand people from across Canada attended the Catholic funeral service held in Saskatoon on the following Saturday, July seventh (07/07/07).  
 
His relatives were presented by his mother, his father and stepmother. Among the mourners were Jeffrey's grandmother (Marion Gatenby), his Aunt (Laurel Gatenby), and his uncles (Kevin Gatenby and Rodney Gatenby). His mother's sister (Sharon Peyton) attended with her husband (George Caffaro). Cousins (Paula and Mark Caffaro, and Elliot and Sophie Gatenby) attended. Everyone present was conscious of the passing of someone extraordinary who brought great meaning to their lives.

Schoolmates, old chums, former girlfriends, mentors, people he had worked with and entertained, all came out to pay their respect to him.  Jeffrey would have been pleased to see how many people's lives he'd touched. His humour, candour and friendship had inspired many. Eulogies at the funeral recalled the three central qualities in Jeffrey's character -humour, -candour, and -friendship.  The mourners present were able to mourn their loss that day, and to go home, yet for us, sorrow remains.   
 
 
The loss to others has been immense. Jeffrey's friend, Tommy, survived the crash to relate what had happened. Tommy came home from intensive care some weeks later. Tommy is a victim of this terrible tragedy as well. Tommy has since relinquished his driving permit, due to the post-traumatic stress from watching his best friend die. Tommy has since become a father, his wife giving birth to a son -the birth of a new life!

Friends who had collaborated with Jeffrey in his many hopes and dreams found their lives broken. Our loss, too, is incalculable. We, his parents, have suffered countless sorrows.  Our lives have been marred by this great loss. We know we must endure. About the accident, we asked ourselves "why?"
 
 

UNANSWERED QUESTIONS
Unanswered questions continue to loom. Following the accident, his parents investigated the cause of the accident, trying to determine how an accident of this type might be prevented in the future. Strangely, neither the RCMP nor SGI seemed anxious to share basic information relevant to the fatal accident. The RCMP prepared an accident report, but officers have been loath to release details.

Jeffrey's father addressed the newspapers and SGI directly in the months that followed the accident. To date, the information released has hardly been adequate. As parents of an only child, the devastation we face is colossal. Why have the provincial authorities responsible for overseeing driver safety been so vague in responding? How can we understand?

WHY THE ROAD ACCIDENT?
Why? Why did Jeffrey die? The fatality prompts us to ask questions about the safety of sports-utility vehicles. Even more to the point, the fatality itself, involved negligence on the part of an elderly driver of the van.   
  
 
The facts of the road accident can be briefly summarized as follows: 
 
i. Conditions of road, weather, and visibility on the main highway were ideal at the time of the accident.   
  
 
 
ii. Entering the highway, the driver of the van collided with the SUV and forced it off the highway, resulting in the death of the passenger. The collision was due to negligence by the driver of the van.    
  
 
iii. A factor in the driver's negligence may have been gradual impairments and/or infirmity due to age. The driver of the van was ninety-four years old.  Today, we are obliged to ask the question, "What part did infirmity of age play in the fatality?"  The question is a key to understanding what can be done. 

OBJECTIVES
Objectives of our lobbying are to reassess highway safety. In a letter to Mr Jon Schubert, President and CEO of SGI, dated December 27, 2007, Ian Gatenby outlined the program suggestions he had made earlier in the year, as follows:

1) to perform a random audit of the competence of elder drivers.

2) to have the provincial medical society regularly evaluate the physical and perceptive skills of elderly drivers to the provincial Department of Motor Vehicles.

3) to adjust the renewal process as drivers age in order to assess competence.

Saskatchewan government insurance -SGI- would seem not to have drawn conclusions to date on the demographic shift to older drivers, made policy recommendations, nor operationalized the aforementioned suggestions. There seems little doubt that legislation will have to be rewritten.

The question of the accident rate of SUVs is also a controversial one.

  
 
WHAT IS ROAD-WORTHY? 
What is road-worthy?  Due to the circumstances of the fatality, it is imperative we review what to date has been deemed road-worthy. We believe that this death demonstrates the need for vigilance in the renewal of driver's licences.   
 
 
The actions of the van driver provoke us to ask whether that driver ought to be on the road. His actions suggest that the licensing system is at fault. Is it accidental if a driver who has impaired faculties has the privilege of a renewed driver's permit without a competency test, when his/her actions on the highway subsequently kill someone?   
 
   
 
We have founded this site  www.road-worthy.net specifically to advocate for a review of the manner in which licenses are renewed without mandatory testing.   
 
 

In Saskatchewan, where there is a no-fault automotive insurance plan, no-fault simplifies insurance claims for damage to automobiles. No-fault policy seems woefully unprepared to answer questions, that arise when someone is killed.

When fatalities occur, the survivors need answers. 

At www.road-worthy.net  we are further lobbying to disclose facts relative to automotive collisions and to open a door of transparency in cases of wrongful death on the highway.                                                                                        
 
 

A REFLECTION
In retrospect, we know that Jeffrey fought valiantly to live. Intent on living life to the full, his struggle to build a life ended suddenly, absurdly, on June 30, 2007. His immense promise is lost, unrealized. Further, we know that the accident might, under other circumstances, have been avoided. 
  
 
Jeffrey's story shouldn't end here. We have founded this website in love for our son, that his memory be carried forth. We ask you to assist us in lobbying for better legislation to insure the safety of elderly drivers and the public so that Jeffrey's is not another needless death. Other families, friends or loved ones, need not realize the devastating loss of a son. Please work with us to see that the need for legislation is fulfilled.