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# A disregard for life isn’t limited to the able
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/a-disregard-for-life-isnt-limited-to-the-able-editor/
- Published: 2006-09-26T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T21:26:09.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Opinion, Santa Monica, #archive-import

*By Stefan Treff Santa Monica*

I’d like to make a few comments about the George Russell Weller case. I have no sympathy for Mr. Weller. He killed numerous innocent people with his car that turned out to be a weapon. When I shoot somebody and somebody is injured or dies, I’m responsible for my actions. What’s the difference here?

An 86-year-old person should not be allowed to drive. When you have a minimum age in place to drive and obtain a driver’s license then there should certainly be a maximum age as well, let’s say 75 years. Of course, there are a lot of younger unsafe drivers out there as well.

I believe at some point in life relatives, friends or organizations that are available and out there have to step in for their older parents or relatives to run errands, do shopping or drives to the doctor’s office. That everybody is busy is no excuse.

Why did it take the American justice system three years to decide Weller’s fate? That I will never understand. Were they waiting for Weller to pass away so then they could say “Now he is dead — case closed?” Is this how it works in this country?

It is a scary thought, but there a plenty of older, incompetent people like Weller out there who continue to drive when they shouldn’t. Accidents like this, you can prevent by taking older drivers off the road period.

I, for example, have seen plenty of older ladies driving around hardly overlooking the dashboard with the help of a cushion and having a Cadillac Eldorado with 300 horsepower under the hood or an old Buick to control. Disaster is waiting to happen if you continue to allow older, incapable people like this to drive.

If this society says it’s OK for people of old age to drive then the testing for fitness definitely has to be more strict and in case of failures/accidents doctor’s and the DMV have to be held accountable. It’s all a matter of liability issue — especially in this county where filing a lawsuit is like a sport.

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on September 26, 2006.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/092606.pdf?ref=smdp.com)