Talk Up Yout talks about reckless driving

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

LAST Tuesday, the third episode in the new season of Talk Up Yout addressed the issue of reckless driving.

Over the years, reckless driving has become one of Jamaica's largest problems, in fact, in 2011, as reported by the National Road Safety Council there were 304 road fatalities.

This week's episode proved very informative as the host, Emprezz, interviewed Roxanne, whose life has changed because of reckless driving.

Roxanne recounted the morning of November 15, 2007, while with her four friends walking to the bus stop, two cars that were racing got out of control and pinned the children down. Roxanne was pinned to the fence.

She wasn't unconscious so she realised that her foot was damaged and described the sight of her leg as "crushed like minced meat". She said her initial reaction was one of shock, while she was carried to Kingston Public Hospital where she had to undergo surgeries to put in external fixations on her foot. She was in hospital for four months.

Roxanne spoke about the involvement of the police and the court, and the lack of involvement of the taxi drivers. She discussed the heavy weight put on her mother to deal with all the finances alone.

After the initial surgery, she moved to The University Hospital of the West Indies, where they surgeons told her that her leg would have to be amputated. So far, she has done two surgeries.

She states that the accident has affected her emotionally, physically and psychologically. She gets frightened easily and she remembers the accident frequently. Her friends, however, help her to cope, and music, televison and God are her main sources of inspiration.

Dr Carol Mitchell, clinical psychologist and the director of the Counselling and Psychological Centre, at the University of the Caribbean stopped by to try and diagnose some of Roxanne's feelings, and to give her professional advice and to extend a friendly, helpful hand.