Every Driver's (and Parent's) Nightmare

I tend not to write on the "sadder" side of life but there was a car crash July 26 in downstate NY (on a parkway where we had been the day before and were traveling further north on the same parkway the day of the crash) that was so sad, so senseless, that it is totally heartbreaking. The more details come out, the sadder and more senseless everything becomes.

We have family in that area, so we will continue to follow the case.

I will let the local newspaper give the facts rather than trying to recap.

And now, this. My spouse grew up in this area, and is very knowledgeable of the roads involved. I also have to admit that the Taconic Parkway terrifies me, with its narrow, windy portions, some without shoulders and lined with stone walls, and its sometimes aggressive drivers. It c an be a beautiful, deadly parkway with only one saving grace-trucks are not allowed.

But this accident happened in one of the wider, 6 lane area - those areas where I exhale in relief.

This has all the elements of senseless tragedy-stoned/drunk driver, children in the vehicle, 74 years old man on his way to Sunday dinner with family. We all like to disregard the fact of just how dangerous driving can be because we are so dependent on our cars. But there were so many witnesses to this, especially if the "facts" of this driver traveling some distance on other main roads before getting on the Taconic for the climatic crash, that it just boggles the mind.

My heart goes out to all the families involved.