We’ve all had days where we shouldn’t have been behind the wheel: too emotional, too many worries, too much stress, or feeling sick or exhausted, and we tell ourselves we just “have to” go or be somewhere.

We also deal with commercial drivers in this area who get paid by the delivered load, so that the faster they drive, the more money they make.

And yes, many many travelers pass through our northrth county areas, their thoughts on their destination (sometimes more than in safety).

We are mortal and so are those with whom we share the road. When we -as individuals – can admit there are times we should pull over for a few minutes regardless of arrival time, admit to instances where we are a bit selfish and forget for a moment the road rules of courtesy and safety to protect ourselves and those in the vehicles around us, or get so focused on our own issues that we create a danger to innocent lives in the other lanes, then WE are the cause of these high accident rates.

Please, let’s all drive like the most precious passengers are not only with us, but also in the vehicles surrounding us (this goes for you, too, logging and pulpwood trucks, sheriff’s deputies, cement plant delivery trucks and OTR drivers!!!).

Thank you to all the safe and courteous drivers out there. And to all drivers, let the unsafe, rude, selfish, dangerous, arrogant vehicle operators go their way. They may not care, but thank God you do!

A large percentage of the drivers in Florida, and, this county, learned to drive in other states. Some of them moved here, and some are just trying to drive through.