Speeding was the big factor in Kurt's death.  I know in my heart that he looked both ways before he crossed the street. My wife, Sheryl looked both ways as well but saw no one coming. However, there is a dip in Elm Street about 250 feet down the street and we are sure that is where the driver of the van was when Sheryl looked. By the time she saw the van it was too late to yell at Kurt. The van hit Kurt just as he stepped on the yellow dividing line. The impact knocked him out of one of his shoes and threw him about 40 to 60 feet. Kurt was hit by the driver's side front corner of the van. The driver of the van never slowed down, honked or swerved before hitting Kurt. All it would have taken was driving the speed limit and Kurt would be alive today.

The speed limit on Elm Street is 30 mph and without the skid marks, the state police were not able to figure the speed.  A forty five pound boy does not fly 40 or 60 feet when hit at 25 or 30 mph.  Many witnesses felt the driver was speeding in excess of 30 mph. The driver received only a $80 ticket for inattentive driving and no ticket for speeding. The county attorney's office plea bargained for admitted guilt for the inattentive driving in exchange for dropping the speeding charge. I was outraged that my child died and all the driver got was a ticket for $80. It seems that people felt it was Kurt's fault and the driver to this day says he was not speeding. The fine for speeding is the same on a residential street as it is on the highway. This needs to change and be increased. There are more children playing on residential streets than on the highways.

I have also learned since Kurt's death that the state minimum speed limit on streets is 30 mph. Even in the case where signs have been put up stating a 15 or 20 mph speed limit-- a officer of the law cannot ticket anyone unless they are going over 30 mph. Where are the majority of these signs? They are near parks, play grounds, swimming pools, and crosswalks. These are the places where a large number of children play or walk. Someone can drive through these speed zones at 30 mph and not get ticketed. Does't  the state or the legislature care about our children's safety? I have sent  e-mail's to all of the representatives and senators in Minnesot asking that changes be made in the laws. I have asked that the minimum penalty be increased for speeding in a residential area and that police departments be able to ticket speeders in the 15 and 20 mph zones. Please click on the links below and choose your representative and senator and tell them to make changes to protect our children. I also have a link to the governor's office and you can tell him to on what needs to be done.

But the most important thing you should do is to not speed in residential areas, please. Whatever is important enough to cause you to be in a hurry and make you speed is not as important as a child's life. I know that the driver will live the rest of his life knowing he killed a child and I wish that upon no one.

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