Recently there have been several reports of motorists not slowing down for the flashing lights of school buses, particularly on highways. A mother claims she had to pull her daughter out of the way as a cattle liner sped past a bus that was pulled over.

Earlier this month two pedestrians died in Lethbridge, on separate occasions within an hour, in marked crosswalks after being hit by motor vehicles.
Police said neither alcohol nor speed were factors in each incident.

When we hear this information from police, we often dismiss the tragedy as an accident and the blame usually ends there.

In situations like these, whether it was the fault of the driver or the pedestrian, the fact is that there was carelessness on someone’s part.

All it takes to avoid accidents like this is a few seconds of time and attention – a few seconds for drivers to slow down at intersections and look around, a moment for pedestrians to pause before crossing the street to check for traffic.

Everyone is busy. Everyone has places they need to be and times they need to be there by. The quick pace of our important schedules often causes us to forget about the fragility of life.

We must remember to take care to protect ourselves. We must also remember to contribute responsibly to a safe community.

There is much to be learned from incidents like these. The more obvious lessons include ones we learn in grade school: look both ways before crossing the street. In driver’s education: yield to pedestrians in a crosswalk, when passing a school bus, stop when red lights flash.

But we grow up and we learn more important things. We learn about deadlines, appointments and meetings. With so many new things to remember it’s easy to forget caution.

This doesn’t mean we should all go around wearing helmets and riding three-wheeled bicycles. It’s more about awareness. Notice the things that are happening around you. Be present in your surroundings.

Making an effort to observe consciously could cost you time. It could mean that you hit a red light and make it to work a minute later, or that you don’t make it to the corner in time for the “walk” signal. It could also mean the difference between life and death.