Slow down, watch out, stay safe

One of the headlines in this newspaper five years ago could have been far different.

It could have read, "Child dies after being hit by car."

Had the circumstance been just a little bit different than they were, Derek and Evelyn Clarke's then five-year-old son may have not walked away from his tangle with a vehicle. (See story on front page.)

Luckily, he was fine and life went on.

But that headline is still all too likely to appear in these pages.

Speed and inattention can be deadly, and it's not only children who can be at risk.

It doesn't make these drivers bad people - slowing to 30 kilometres per hour along High Street after just coming off the highway can feel like standing still.

Everyone at one time or another forgets themselves on the very familiar roads of home, and when they do look up find they're going faster than they realized.

Pedestrians can also forget for a moment, stepping out into a street before remembering to look both ways. It happens to adults and children alike, not to mention the pets that occasionally escape through kitchen doors or off leashes.

There is a responsibility on both sides. Pedestrians need to watch out and drivers need to slow down and pay attention. Anyone can make a mistake, but the fastest way to a bad outcome is for both parties involved to make one at the same time.

We don't want to print that headline, or any other one like it. Slow down, watch out, stay safe.

editor@gulfnews.ca