Perhaps it has been the residual effects of last winter's mild, moderately dry and snow-free conditions that have led motorists to become more lax in their driving habits this season.
But make no mistake, this winter we are back to more traditional cold, icy, snowy, windy and blizzard-like conditions on our local streets and highways.
So it is about time we started to pay a whole lot more attention to what we're doing behind the steering wheel.
Modern vehicles are equipped with slick sensory devices, but there is still no technical replacement for common sense.
Now, more than ever, while we drive on the local bumpy and icy rutted streets, we need to pay less attention to the coffee cup or cellphone and more attention to the ice at the intersections.
We need to remind ourselves to slow down when approaching traffic lights in the event we might have to stop suddenly. Stopping on our local streets and avenues under current circumstances requires more distance and time. Drive accordingly. Making the intersection turn might not be as easy as it was in July. In fact, we can assure you it won't be.
This winter has already seen too many minor accidents on our city's streets. In some instances there have been injuries. Fortunately none of these incidents have led to serious ones, but there can still be nagging, frustrating aftermath situations to cope with during the winter.
There is no need to drive up vehicle insurance costs with careless driving. There is no need to have to do without your vehicle while it gets repaired. Sure it's great for the autobody, mechanical repair shops and towing operators, not so great for everyone else.
The same holds true on highways.
This has already been a challenging winter for driving and we have a long way to go.
Unfortunately we've had to report at least three tragic accidents that have claimed local lives and several others that have left people with damaged bodies. It's all unnecessary.
When we make bad choices to drive in a blizzard, just because we're expected to be somewhere at a certain time, we inevitably end up putting other people at risk. We send police officers and their cruisers, tow truck operators and emergency responders out in wild weather, reacting to rescue requests. We put their lives at risk as well as our own, thanks to dubious, spur-of-the-moment decisions to drive anyway in spite of all the warnings and advice not to venture out.
None of us are untouchable. We are all vulnerable when Mother Nature decides to vent some fury. We learned that a couple of summers ago when she unleashed flood waters and served reminders that she can be unrelenting. She has provided a few subtle reminders this winter. So let's pay attention when Mother Nature serves advance notice.
It doesn't pay to flirt with this type of danger. There is no payoff ... just a price to be be paid.
