The Safe Roads Awareness Week is a week of events organized by several stakeholders (see below for list), including the Wedgwood Community Council, to bring attention to the need for safe roads for all users and policy that supports that goal. The week kicks-off on March 25th with a memorial walk and rally on the one-year anniversary of a tragic drunk driving crash at NE 75th Street and 33rd Ave NE, near Eckstein Middle School, that took the lives the Judy and Dennis Schulte and seriously injured their 10-day-old grandson, Elias, and daughter-in-law Karina Ulriksen-Schulte. Events throughout the week will bring attention to DUI prevention, distracted driving prevention, safe speeds, and sharing the road. The week will conclude on Friday, March 28, with the official launch of the Lake City Way Traffic Safety Project. A full list of the events during the Safe Roads Awareness Week are available on a printable flyer below.
March 25th Dennis and Judy Schulte Memorial Walk & Rally
Members of the extended Schulte family mourn at the crash site on NE 75th Street
We will begin gathering at Top Pot Doughnuts (6855 35th Ave NE) but will start the walk around 3:15PM and end at the crash site at NE 75th Street and 33rd Ave NE. A moment of silence will be held at approximately 4 PM to remember Judy and Dennis Schulte. A short rally will follow the walk at approximately 4:15PM on the Eckstein Middle School front lawn. Members of the community are encouraged to participate.
Following the rally, Mothers Against Drunk Driving will be hosting their free Power of Parents, It’s Your Influence™ program from 5:15-6PM in Room 111, which was developed with Pennsylvania State University’s Dr. Robert Turrisi, and is based on over two decades of underage drinking research. All participants will receive a parent handbook and additional resources to provide them with the communication tools to talk with their teens about alcohol.
WHO WILL BE PRESENT:
- Dan Schulte, Father, Husband and Son of Wedgwood crash victims
- Marilyn Schulte, Daughter of Judy and Dennis Schulte, Aunt to Elias and Sister-in-law to Karina
- Darrin Grondel, Director, Washington Traffic Safety Commission
- Senator David Frockt, (D) 46th Legislative District
- Courtney Popp, Mothers Against Drunk Driving
Representatives from Seattle Department of Transportation, Prevention Works in Seattle (WINS), Wedgwood Community Council, Ravenna-Bryant Community Association, and Seattle Neighborhood Greenways Group will also be present.
WHEN: Tuesday, March 25th, 2014
- 3:00 PM – Walkers gather at Top Pot Doughnuts
- 3:15 PM – Memorial Walk begins
- 4:00 PM – Moment of silence at crash site
- 4:15 PM – Speakers Rally begins on Eckstein Middle School front lawn
- 5:00 PM – Free “Power of Parents” Workshop in Room 111, Eckstein Middle School
OTHER EVENTS DURING SAFE ROADS AWARENESS WEEK:
Week Long:
- Prevention Works in Seattle (WINS) will be performing drug and alcohol presentations to 8th Grade classes at Nathan Eckstein Middle School throughout the week.
Wednesday, March 26th, Distracted Driving Day
- The Wedgwood Community Council (WCC) and volunteers will be holding signs during the morning and evening commute the intersection of NE 75th Street and 35th Ave NE to remind all road users of the dangers of distracted driving. Any volunteers interested in participating and getting a free t-shirt can email » Bilkay Taner-Rose.
Thursday, March 27th, Slowdown Day
- Again, the WCC and volunteers will be holding signs at the NE 75th Street and 35th Ave NE intersection during morning and evening commutes to remind road users of safe speeds. Any volunteers interested in participating and getting a free t-shirt can email » Bilkay Taner-Rose.
Friday, March 28th, Share the Road
- Again, the WCC and volunteers will be holding signs at the NE 75th Street and 35th Ave NE intersection during morning and evening commutes to remind road users to share the road with everyone and consider alternatives to driving. Any volunteers interested in participating and getting a free t-shirt can email » Bilkay Taner-Rose.
- SDOT will host an official launch event of their Lake City Way Traffic Safety Project at the southeast corner of Lake City Way and NE 125th Street at 4 PM. See the event invitation at right for more information.
SPECIAL THANKS
Several groups have worked together to organize Safe Roads Awareness Week to highlight dangerous habits and make our road system safer through awareness and improved policy. Special thanks to all those groups involved, including: the Schulte family, Seattle Department of Transportation – Be Super Safe Campaign, Ravenna-Bryant Community Association, Eckstein Middle School, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, Seattle Neighborhood Greenways, Prevention Works in Seattle (WINS), and Target Zero – King County.
Hopefully everyone in the neighborhood will take the time to think of what they can personally do to increase the safety for all of those who use the streets and sidewalks around here.
At the same time, let us consider how the “culture of ignoring” contributed to the completely avoidable tragedy that took place one year ago in our neighborhood.
The convicted drunk driver, Mark Mullan, was initially under court orders to install ignition interlock devices on all his vehicles. He IGNORED these court orders.
Whoever was responsible for ensuring that Mark Mullan complied with these court orders IGNORED their duties and never verified that the ignition interlock devices were installed.
Then Mark Mullan had his driver’s license suspended. So he was legally prohibited from driving. Mark Mullan IGNORED those court orders and drove anyway.
It has been reported that Mullan even bragged to others how he circumvented the law. Could those who knew of Mullan’s severe problems with alcoholism have done more to prevent him from driving while hopelessly drunk? I don’t know for a fact, but I think it is likely that someone IGNORED the horrible warning signs.
While stricter DUI laws have been implemented by the State Legislature since last year’s tragedy, what good do these stricter laws do if they are IGNORED by drivers and IGNORED by those whose duties it is to enforce the laws?
So please, let’s stop IGNORING what should not be IGNORED. That will make a big difference.