THINK

Bit of a change from my usual posts.

I love driving. It is one of my favourite things to do.  A clear motorway, in the fast lane, pedal to the metal, there is nothing like it.  But the thing I, and everyone should remember, is the road may be your friend, but other drivers aren’t.

Whether it is someone driving too fast in traffic, texting and driving at the same time or driving when tired, there are so many hazards and potentially fatal outcomes that you can’t predict, or sometimes prevent against.

In winter you have the additional problems of ice on the road, leading to terrible driving conditions, yet you still get some idiot on the road speeding through, endangering lives as they go.

My dad died when I was eight, killed by a speeding motorist, weaving through traffic with no consideration for others, and the consequences were fatal.  He left that accident with a broken arm, my dad never left.

There have been so many accidents on the motorways of late.  The accident on the M5 brought back so many memories.  I know how the people left behind felt.  I still remember being that little girl, asking why my daddy wasn’t coming home.

So next time you are wondering whether to have that last pint before you drive home, THINK.   Before you are tempted to take that call on the motorway without your handset, THINK.  Before you speedily weave through the traffic in an effort to catch the start of a programme, THINK.

Think because your actions don’t just affect you when you are driving.  They affect everyone driving around you, and their loved ones when things go wrong.

Christmas is a time for being with your loved ones.  It is a time when I think of my dad and wish that he were here now and that it why, every time I get in a car, and every time you get in a car, we must remember to THINK.