I was saddened to read the Saturday article online in The Forum about the young woman who died in an early morning car accident that occurred on icy roads.  As a transplant to North Dakota and still a relative lightweight when it comes to driving in winter weather, I have a firm appreciation and healthy fear of the dangers of winter driving.  I hate reading about car accidents tied to icy roads or poor driving conditions – it just reinforces my view that winter driving is often precarious.

The young woman’s car fishtailed across traffic and was struck by a man in a semi-truck.  The article reported something that we often see in such articles – the injuries of the other driver (or lack thereof) – this article said that the driver of the semi “received no apparent injuries.”

I have probably read such statements thousands of times before in newspapers, but it was just yesterday that I realized that a word was missing from that statement – the word “physical”…it probably should have read that the semi driver received “no apparent physical injuries”.  As for the injury this man will carry psychologically and emotionally with him – well that may not be readily apparent, but I can only imagine that this accident will stay with him and weigh heavily on him for many a moon.  Of course, this accident was not his fault and there was likely nothing he could have done to avoid it, but I imagine he will wonder if there was something – anything – that he could have done differently.

It is a heartbreaking story for all involved.  I cannot imagine the anguish of the young woman’s family, but my heart goes out to them.  As for the semi driver who suffered no “apparent” injuries – my heart goes out to him as well.  I am sure he is also struggling with the outcome of this accident.

I hope this tragedy serves as a somber reminder to all of us to take extra care this season while out on the road…it only takes a patch of ice and a few seconds to change everything.

Day five hundred and seventeen of the new forty – obla di obla da

Ms. C