Safety and Holiday Travel

11/23/2020

Just a short message this week.

This one is quite sobering. It’s a message that cannot be overstated with the implication of never taking anything for granted. 

Last week, in the nearby mountains where I work, a young couple, boyfriend/girlfriend, were driving when another car hit them head-on.  It seems that the driver of the oncoming vehicle was driving recklessly at an excessive speed which caused him to swerve into the oncoming lane. The reckless driver and the passenger in the other vehicle were severely injured. Their condition has not yet been made public.  Unfortunately, the driver in the unsuspecting vehicle died at the scene. The young man was a friend of my son and as one might expect, my son was devastated. We talked for some time and over a few days, while still upset, he managed to cope with the loss of a friend. However, I can’t even imagine how the young man’s family is holding up.

I am writing today about this incident as here is an example of an unfortunate story that could have been 100% prevented. Why was the driver in the speeding car driving so reckless? I suppose, if/when he recovers, we may find out what was so pressing that he had to be so negligent and thoughtless of his fellow motorists.

The S&H profession has always preached the importance of conducting proper accident investigations and that tragedies can be avoided. I don’t think it needs to be reiterated, but accidents are preventable; but sometimes the person who has the ability to prevent the incident is not you or me. It’s that other person.

So, as we approach Thanksgiving and Christmas remember that when you are traveling, travel safely. Watch out for the other guy. Don’t take chances; especially when weather is bad, and the roads are such that your visibility is compromised where blind corners and intersections can contribute to serious consequences.

Every once-in-a-while we stop and realize just how precious life is and just how fragile we are.

With Covid-19 at its peak, we all need to take special precautions which means our traditional family gatherings may not be as festive as we usually would like them to be (even with your crazy Uncle Eddie).  Hopefully with the anticipated vaccine and other preventative measures, this pandemic will fade and will only be discussed as a part of our history.

But until that time, be careful when driving on our roads – especially in Winter conditions. There is no reason to take chances. Reckless driving not only affects you, but others as well.

Watch out for each other