Maybe I’m just too rational. It’s not that I don’t sympathize with the families of Aiden Patrick and Ellie Bland. I do.  Both children’s deaths were tragic accidents. But that doesn’t mean that we should automatically ban vehicles from Volusia County beaches.

According to the Orlando Sentinel, five people have been killed being struck by vehicles on Volusia beaches since 1987. Until this year, it had been 14 years since the last death. The two this year were 4 year olds who were not being sufficiently supervised. A two-year-old,  Roland “Lanny” Hotard IV, was struck and killed in 1988 after running into the path of a vehicle. The other two were DUI’s.  How many millions of visitors have gone to Volusia beaches in those 14 years? But suddenly, it’s imperative that driving be banned?

There are more miles of Volusia county beaches that prohibit driving than allow it. Is there some reason why parents of young children (and anyone else who doesn’t want to deal with cars on the beach) can’t use these areas? It doesn’t seem that it’s an all or nothing situation. People already have choices. Let’s keep it that way.