To the editor:

The Southeast Missourian, KFVS Channel 12 and Cape Girardeau's Central High School are all sending the wrong message in only stressing the use of seat belts for saving lives and reducing the risk of serious injuries. Besides the use of seat belts, you should also be promoting the fact that speed kills. They both work together and are equally important in helping to prevent accidents, saving lives and reducing the risk of more serious injuries, to themselves and to those around them.

The road on which this particular accident occurred should not be traveled at a speed in excess of 35 to 45 mph. I can not even imagine the carnage that could have occurred had the vehicle in your article, traveling in excess of 70 mph, gone out of control and crossed the roadway just as they approached an oncoming vehicle. Assuming the other vehicle was traveling at a reasonable speed of 40 mph, that would be like hitting a stationary object doing 110 mph. Wearing seat belts or not, the most likely outcome would be no one left alive to make a statement like "that was the shortest 10 seconds of my life".Yes, seat belts do help save lives and, in some instances, the lives of the speeding, inexperienced motorists. Speed will take as many innocent lives including those wearing seat belts.

There should be a sign posted on that crumpled up vehicle at Central High stating, "This is the result of excessive speed, and the occupants were extremely lucky even though they were wearing their seat belts. Speed and inexperience was the cause."JACK BALTHUS

Jackson