Speed Kills

There's nothing funny about the fatal accident allegedly caused by South Datoka's Republican representative, Bill Janklow. Nor is there any particular partisan issue raised by the killing. You've got to wonder, however, why Janklow was allowed to drive.

Janklow's driving record -- including a string of speeding tickets and at least seven reported accidents -- has been a known factor in South Dakota politics for years. In his State of the State speech to the legislature in 1999, then-Gov. Janklow addressed the issue.

"Bill Janklow speeds when he drives," Janklow said. "Shouldn't, but he does. When he gets the ticket, he pays it. But if someone told me I was going to jail for two days for speeding, my driving habits would change. I can pay the ticket, but I don't want to go to jail."

If Janklow's extreme recklessness is borne out by an investigation, jail time certainly would be appropriate.