LETTER TO THE EDITOR — Daytime running lights, speed, common sense

By Eugene Meier, Rockford

Our highway system in some places has almost outdated itself. Traffic on the Avenue of the Saints is 60 percent greater than it was anticipated to be.

My question is this, why was another truck stop permitted to be built where the traffic problem already existed?

Our highway system could be state of the art if planned right and not abused by so much speed.

When we weren’t paying attention and let our railroad system fall into disrepair we knew that some other form of movement had to take place. Trucks and bigger trucks had to move commerce.

When we pull on our interstate system with a 65 mph speed limit, everyone passes you and are out of sight in the next mile. With this split-second timing on entrance we sometimes don’t see each other in time to avoid the next accident.

The biggest abuse of your safety is texting while driving.

Colors that blend in with the highway and backgrounds that almost match strive for our undivided attention also.

I live on a well-traveled highway by people going to and coming from work 24 hours a day. Having farmed along this highway for 42 years, there was only one period of time when traffic ceased and that was between 11 p.m. to 2:30 a.m.

I have tried to call this to the attention of our legislators but they don’t understand our concerns out here, because they don’t face the traffic of all different sizes, shapes and speeds mixed on the highway system day after day.

The law reads your lights must be on when it’s raining or snowing. The real shocker comes when you meet a white car in a snowstorm or fog with no lights on.

Let’s get some laws that require the headlights anytime you are driving. Pulling or turning that knob may save your life.