May seems to have been marked as a month of tragedy for many Selmians.

Three motor vehicle accidents, within the past month, have resulted in the loss of four lives in Selma, a statistic that has left the families and friends of the casualties wondering why such things have to happen.

The traffic division at the Selma Police Department is hoping to change those statistics for the better.

Lt. David Evans, head of the traffic division, said this summer the traffic division will focus on four main areas to reduce the number of casualties, and to make sure that Selma’s streets are kept safe for Selma’s drivers.

First, said Evans, the police department is hoping to promote a greater use of safety belts and child restraints.

“There are so many lives that could be saved if parents would take the time to make sure that both they and their children are properly restrained when in their vehicles,” Evans said. “Not putting young children in proper child restraint seats is definitely unsafe and dangerous,” he said.

The second area to be targeted will be to stop speeders. “Speeding is a major problem, especially in the residential areas,” Evans said.

“When young kids are out of school and driving, we tend to see a lot more speeding. What we urge all drivers to do is to slow down and drive defensively.”

A third problem, Evans said, is that many young children, who are under the age of 16, drive All Terrain Vehicles, better known as ATV’s or four-wheelers, in Selma’s residential areas.

“It is illegal for kids who are 16 to be driving those vehicles,” Evans said. “If children are caught, parents are the ones who will receive a citation. So it is important that parents make sure their young children keep safe, and especially make sure that those who are underage are not driving ATV’s.”

Finally, another recurrent problem, Evans said,

is that drivers are installing blue lights on their vehicles, something, which he said is against the law.

“The only color lights you can legally use here are lights that are red, amber, yellow or white,” he said. “Red lights,” he emphasized, “can only be placed on the back of the vehicle. Make sure that you use the appropriate lights, and do not use blue lights because they can be confused for a police vehicle.”

Evans, above all, urged all drivers to just drive defensively.

“Drive cautiously and never assume that the other driver is going to stop, even if the light in front of you is green or you are the first at the intersection,” he said. “Always drive at a safe speed, and make sure that you are wearing a safety belt. These are all important things that drivers always need to remember in order to keep safe.”