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Most of us rarely think of it in such terms.
But each day, the majority of adults find themselves at the controls of very efficient killing machines.
And all it takes is one moment of distraction or one slight misjudgment to unleash their devastating potential.
These killing machines we speak of are more commonly called cars, trucks or SUVs.
And their potential for havoc only grows, considering the number of people driving larger vehicles — such as that soccer mom in her Ford Explorer — and the ever-growing list of distractions that can shift the focus of the person with his or her hands at the wheel.
We would challenge you to take a good look at your fellow drivers on the road today; for safety’s sake, perhaps while stopped in traffic or at a red light. We would bet there’s a better than 50-50 chance you’ll see at least one with phone in hand or maybe even texting or adjusting their music play list via some piece of technology — great as it may be — that has no business taking our attention away from the road.
Two stories in our pages in recent days are perfect examples of the havoc that drivers can wreak, although in neither case do we know yet exactly what occurred. So please, don’t think of what follows as an attempt to assign blame. Take it, instead, as another reminder of the responsibility we all should feel each time we put those keys into the ignition.
Local singer Janet Rains, who performed as Jane Train, died Wednesday in a Florida hospital about six weeks after a tractor-trailer struck the RV she was traveling in. The RV, which had pulled onto the shoulder of an interstate, was struck by the rig as it drifted out of its travel lane, authorities say.
Rains was badly hurt, and the decision was finally made last week to take her off life support.
Just two days after that, a horrifying scene played out in usually tranquil Mountain Top, as a family out for an afternoon stroll on a quiet street was mowed down by a woman’s car. The victims included a 10-month-old in a stroller.
As we noted above, there is still no official word on how it happened. But the wide boulevards and general lack of traffic in Mountain Top’s many planned residential developments make those roads about the last place where you would expect such a thing.
Police, too, were left scratching their heads. They are waiting on the driver’s toxicology tests and an inspection of the vehicle involved before releasing a cause, which many of us eagerly anticipate.
Despite the recent tragedies, there are reasons to be optimistic. In fact, drivers in Pennsylvania appear to be more responsible than ever.
PennDOT says 2016 “saw the lowest number of traffic fatalities on record — 1,188.”
Still a staggering number, but at least progress has been marked.
Another head-spinner from PennDOT’s latest “Pennsylvania Crash Facts & Statistics” report — up to 90 percent of crashes nationwide “involve some sort of driver error.”
Of those wrecks pinned on driver error in Pennsylvania last year, more than 16,000 fell into the “Distracted Driver” category. That’s nearly double the “Drinking Driver” wrecks recorded.
What can we take away from all this?
Let’s start by keeping in mind the stories of Rains and the Mountain Top family each time we climb behind the wheel.
Second, put down the stinkin’ phone, and make a point to keep your eyes fixed on the road. That alone would eliminate almost all rear-end wrecks.
But perhaps the best advice was printed on a sign that suddenly popped up along the road where the family was hit.
It asks motorists to “Drive like your kids live here.”
That says it all.
— Times Leader