I was sad to see the recent accidents involving two students in the simple act of crossing the road, one tragically ending her young life. I just today walked by the small memorial with her beautiful picture surrounded by flowers.
It’s so hard for me to imagine my own 19-year-old son dying so young and just crossing the street. I know one was a bad weather night where visibility can contribute to an unfortunate accident, but that’s when we need to take the most care as drivers and pedestrians.
As a van driver for special needs kids, I encounter the cellphone-toting pedestrian a lot who does not even look up while they enter the crosswalk. I can’t even stand to come close to hitting a squirrel and everyone knows how they stand there in defiance or cross at the wrong time.
After all we have been through in the past two years in a pandemic and as I watch the horrors of war overseas, it strikes me more than ever how precious our lives are, even that confused little squirrel. I see teachers telling elementary kids to look both ways even when no car is coming on the school grounds.
I wish to add another thing to that behavior; make eye contact with the driver to make sure he’s not distracted and maybe wave in thanks to acknowledge each other for that simple connection we all have. I have to say, I love it when someone smiles and waves to me when I let them go and I wave back because that’s me or my son walking.
Wayne Grincewicz
Amherst
