Remember to pay careful
attention when piloting your car
The recent sentencing of a Gilroy man in the accidental death of a pedestrian – the third such death in recent memory – serves as yet another reminder to all of us of the importance of being careful drivers and pedestrians.
As drivers, we should all realize “there but for the grace of God go I” whenever we read about one of these accidents. We’ve all had moments of carelessness or distraction behind the wheel.
Let’s remember to ignore the cell phone, food, cosmetics or a distracting passenger and pay attention to piloting the several-ton machine for which we’re responsible.
Let’s remember that pedestrians, and bicyclists, as well, are quiet and comparatively small and have as much right to the sidewalks and roads as our massive vehicles.
As pedestrians, we should all remember that we’re small and silent and easy for a distracted driver to miss. The recent time change makes this doubly important.
Let’s all remember to walk defensively, assuming that a driver backing out of a driveway or rounding a corner won’t see us, and not worry about who has the right of way but instead protect our lives.
Let’s remember to always cross at crosswalks and corners, to not wear music players that mask the sounds of oncoming vehicles and to wear bright, reflective clothing when walking in the dark.
As a community, let’s insist that our leaders take a serious look at the traffic issues in our city. It’s a matter of basic public safety that’s perhaps as important as preventing crime.
Let’s remember that a proactive approach will save money, lives, and untold heartache. Let’s insist that city officials work with school district officials to find safe routes to schools and to pay for crossing guards where needed. Let’s think creatively to make sure that this period of tragic pedestrian deaths is never repeated.
We can’t prevent every accident, but with awareness from everyone who uses and is responsible for our roads and sidewalks, we can make them much less frequent.
Let’s work together to accomplish that.