It’s that time of the year when most of us wake up when it’s dark and come home from work when it’s dark.
Throw in some rain and a long day of looking at a computer or working on your feet and it’s a recipe for accidents.
Now add in distracted pedestrians, distracted drivers and the ever-present draw of looking at your cellphone, and, frankly, it’s a wonder that pedestrian deaths aren’t much higher. Not to suggest that there is ever an acceptable level of injury or deaths.
If you ever leave your house, chances are pretty good that you have witnessed a near collision involving a pedestrian at some point in the winter months.
We recently received a phone call from a concerned reader who asked that we please tell our readers to be more careful. She is not the only one who is concerned.
Pedestrians often wear all-black clothing, huddle under all-black umbrellas and walk while looking at their cellphones.
Drivers are often racing to get home, driving much too fast for the road conditions and, despite ramped up distracted driving fines, are still looking at their cellphones in their cars.
Please, people. It only takes one glance away from a crosswalk, one hurried step out into a busy street, one mistaken assumption that a car is going to slow down and stop, to turn a once-happy day into a disaster that will reap consequences for years to come for so many people.
We are often so wrapped up in our daily deadlines and chores that our minds and attention are seldom in present time.
We’re mentally planning that Christmas dinner, thinking about what to give our loved ones, thinking about work stuff that’s piling up. Before you know it, you’ve become a victim or you’ve become a driver who has struck a pedestrian.
We ask you on behalf of that dear reader who took the time to call us, but we also ask you on behalf of all of your loved ones, our emergency service folks, the police, the justice system, and everyone who hopes for the best for their fellow citizens – slow down, pay attention, and put some reflective tape on your clothing.
The life you save may be your own.
