By ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΑ (GREEK) TÜRKÇE (TURKISH)
The title reads: “Heavy charges await the driver of the fatal car accident in Engomi”. And under the news, everyone expresses their verdict. Having apparently forgotten what it’s like to be 20.
To be ignorant of the risks involved. To think you can do any kind of recklessness and come out of it unharmed. Forgetting that freedom you breathe when you’re a student, away from your parents reminding you (and getting on your nerves) “don’t be late, don’t drink too much, be careful on the road, don’t speed, take your jacket so you don’t get cold, if I’m asleep wake me up when you get here…”.
A group of young people went out on a Saturday night to have fun. Outside each student residence there are parked cars that are rented in no time via a platform. “Why don’t we take one? Looking for a taxi would be more of a hassle. It’ll be cheaper for us. We’ll squeeze in a bit, but it’ll be fine.” And they did. They went, they had fun, they drank, they don’t even remember how much, but it was fine. Because when you’re 20, everything’s fine. Even getting into the boot of the car.
A folly of youth that you’ll have to remember, talk and laugh about. Unless the folly turns into a nightmare. And then, even if you’re the “lucky” one of the group who survived, this folly will haunt your life.
Seven young people were involved in the same folly. Someone may have hesitated, but they were convinced that everything was under control. We don’t know what was exchanged between them, exactly how things happened, if someone is less to blame. All we know is that a girl lost her life. And the responsibility no longer rests on who thought of it first, who pitched the idea, who hesitated, or who encouraged the rest. The responsibility, inevitably, falls on the driver. Who took it upon himself to drive drunk, who accepted to carry six people in a small car, even in the boot. A victim of a folly of youth. But also a perpetrator.
He will be charged with the offence of causing death by irrational, reckless and dangerous act. But he’s already being punished. As are the five others who were in the car. As are two other young people who were in another car in which three of their friends were killed, including the brother of one of the two. One of the survivors is the driver, who is fighting for his life. And at some point he will learn that he has lost his brother and two of his friends, while the police are trying to find out how the accident happened, what speeds were developed, whether the drivers involved had been drinking.
And thereon, there’s a fine line between responsibility and tragedy.
This article was originally published on 22.11.24
