I realize now that instead of bringing the flaws of Tina’s Law to the public’s attention (July 8), I unintentionally gave people a scapegoat for tragic road accidents. I wanted people to be aware that the new law was retroactive, with no provision for work transportation.

I believe that the main purpose of the law is to keep drivers with suspended licenses off the road. My son never drove while his license was suspended, so, in effect, the law missed its mark regarding him.

The responses to the article have been an assault on my son and I. Instead of responding intelligently to a law hardly anyone knew about, one that has defects that weigh powerfully on the people it affects, emotions ran high and articulate reasoning and good manners were put aside.

There were many important facts which did not appear in the story. Why, when I inquired, were legislators in Turner, Auburn and Poland unaware of Tina’s Law? One of them signed it into action and knew nothing of the consequences. How did that happen? More important, how could that happen?

These are my concerns as a Maine citizen, driver and parent of a young man who made mistakes in the past, but who has since made a sincere effort to improve his driving. The charge that resulted in his loss of license was driving without a fastened seatbelt.

Shouldn’t he have been made aware of the precariousness of his right to drive prior to this last minor violation?

Alison Dehetre, Turner

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