I once put a post on Twitter (now X) that said “I almost die every morning on my way to work.” It hasn’t been that frequent lately, but it still happens, more often than it should, and it’s scary. I’ve had several close calls over the years, and most of them involve someone who is distracted by something, and/or are driving too fast. I realize the few examples here all involve women drivers, but my experiences have involved both men and women, young and old. These are just the more interesting ones.
Several years ago, on my way to work, I met a young girl on the road who was putting on makeup while driving. She came around the curve in the middle of the road. Praise the Lord, she quickly got back on her side, and avoided hitting me. Periodically, for the next year or so, I would meet her on that same road. Then one day, I realized I hadn’t seen her for a while, and I never saw her again. I pray she didn’t have an accident. I like to think she finished high school, and went on to college, and/or got a good job, and she’s going to work at a different time than me, or maybe she got married, or just moved. I don’t know but, whatever the case may be, I hope and pray she has become a safer driver.
One morning recently, I was approaching a traffic light as it turned red. The minivan next to me crossed the line and came into my lane, so I swerved into the turning lane to keep her from hitting me. I said out loud, “Get back in your lane lady!” I know she didn’t hear me, but she quickly got back into her lane when she realized what was happening. As I drove past her, I saw that she was a young girl, and she was eating a burger. She was risking her life, and the life of others for food; that’s crazy.
Another morning, on my ride to work, I looked in my rear-view mirror and saw another mini-van coming up behind me. As it got closer, it went into the left lane to pass me. As the van went around me, I glanced over and saw a shocking site. The lady had a cup in one hand, and her phone in the other, and she was on a video call. How was she driving, with her knees? So Dangerous!
Earlier this week, I was on my way to work when a car came up beside me in the passing lane. Before the lady got past me, she stomped on the gas, and swerved in front of me, barely missing my front left fender by just a few feet. She was obviously in a hurry because she kept speeding up and cutting in front of other cars. It was also obvious that the car had already been in at least one wreck. The front end was messed up pretty good. The way people drive these days, makes me want to stay off the road and out of cars. It’s sad that our world has become so full of such reckless people.
My eighteen-year-old nephew, Noah, and his fiancée were hit by a young woman speeding, and passing in a no-passing zone, and both of them died from the crash leaving both their mothers, and their families devastated, with broken hearts that will never heal. The young lady was in the hospital for a while but she survived. She’ll have to live with their deaths on her conscience for the rest of her life. Not to mention the ridicule she has received and probably will continue to receive for a long time to come.
My children are grown and have children of their own, and I worry about some careless driver causing an accident, and taking their lives. They are always telling me about close calls they have every week. This can’t keep happening. Another trend we keep seeing is speeding in parking lots. It’s becoming a big problem. What’s it going to take for people to slow down and think about someone other than themselves?
Speeding, passing, driving distracted from phones, radios, video players, food, and driving under the influence of Alcohol, Marijuana, and even prescription drugs are all causing countless accidents on the roads today, and countless lives are being destroyed. It has to Stop! It has to.
Every time there’s a widespread issue in the public, many people want to pass more laws to address the problem. I believe we already have enough laws concerning cars and drivers on the road. Those laws just need to be enforced and obeyed. Laws are there for a reason. Most traffic laws are to protect our lives on the roads. People need to be more responsible and stop breaking the law.
We need to stop using our phones while driving and keep our eyes on the road at all times. Pay attention to your surroundings. Don’t exceed the speed limit, and slow down. Leave home in plenty of time to arrive at your destination on time, and have some respect for the other drivers on the road, and people walking in parking lots. This would significantly reduce the number of accidents, and deaths out there. Do it for yourself, and your family, and my family. Please. Drive safely or you may regret it. Thank you.
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