To The Editor:
There is an epidemic of distracted driving in this country and The Valley has not been spared. On September 1, I was first in line in the 100B construction zone in Moretown waiting for a flagger to wave me through. An oncoming car swerved, barely missing the flagger and hit me squarely on the left front of my car.
Thankfully my car, a sturdy Volvo wagon, absorbed the crash as designed and my passenger and I were uninjured. Both vehicles sustained significant damage and were towed from the scene.
The offending 20-something driver admitted to the state police that he was looking at his appointment calendar instead of the road (in a construction zone!) and was cited. It turns out the young man is the safety director for a major construction firm. Go figure.
I now have a new car, complete with onboard navigation, a scroll wheel on the steering wheel and enough ports to plug in every device one might own at the same time. How many drivers do you see crossing the centerline every day? They don’t necessarily have to be on their phone – they could be scrolling through their media choices, entering their next destination on the nav screen or trying to remember the menu path to their contact list.
Having all of these options is terrific, but the onus is still on the driver to practice digital responsibility on the road. Please. We might not be so fortunate next time.
My passenger and I are very appreciative of VTrans for taking control of the accident scene, Vermont State Police trooper Todd Stackhouse from Vermont State Police and volunteers from the Moretown and Waitsfield fire departments for their quick response and kind assistance and Jordan DeFreest and Claire Ewald of Hap’s Service Station for getting my car up to Shelburne for repair and our kayaks back to my house. It is truly wonderful to be a member of this community.
Penny Parson
Fayston
