To the editor:

“Every creature is better alive than dead, men and moose and pine trees, and he who understands it aright will rather preserve its life than destroy it,” Henry David Thoreau said.

Are you a safe driver on the roads? Think people should slow down on roads and look for animals and other cars. My first reason is because every year lots of moose get killed on the road. Do you know how many moose were killed in 2006? More than 650. Also, lots of small animals get killed on the road every year. How many times have you seen a dead animal in road, or been looking at the road and not even been able to tell what it was that was dead in the road? If more people paid better attention to the animals in the road, probably at least half of the animals that are dead now would still be alive.

Second, think of all the people that get hurt over the winter because of careless driving. Also, think of the people who get hurt in drunken driving accidents.

“Those things that hurt, instruct,” Benjamin Franklin said.

“An adulteress passed by a dog at a well; and the dog was holding out his tongue from thirst, which was near killing him, and the woman drew off her boot, and tied it to the end of her garment and drew water for the dog, and gave it to him to drink; and she was forgiven for that act,” Mohammed said.

Can you be safe on the roads? Help keep the animals, not kill them (humans too).

Sierra Vandermark

Palmer