Erebus memorial fine but don’t forget road deaths

CABINET has approved funding of $3 million for a memorial to the 257 victims of the 1979 Mt Erebus plane crash. I have no problem with that at all, as it was one of New Zealand’s worst tragedies and should be remembered. It is always the families and relatives that suffer the loss and every one of the 257 who died on that flight will never be forgotten by them.

People die on our roads every day and the average is one person for every day of the year. There is no memorial for these people who die, only a very brief notification in the newspapers of where and when the death or deaths occurred and how many were injured. Mere statistics, if it wasn’t so serious.

Each person who dies on our roads had family and relatives and they will suffer just as much as those remembering the Erebus air disaster. Since 1979, if you take in all road deaths this would equate to 43 planes crashing and the public outcry would be such that any government would be forced to do something rather than just go through the motions.

Remember Erebus by all means, but remember all those that needlessly die on our roads as well. Ross Davidson

Wakari