Rules of the Road

I saw a boy get hit by a car today. He is fine. That's the first thing you need to know. He is fine. But it shouldn't have happened.

I was at an intersection waiting to turn left. This is one of those intersections in life with a left turn lane, going straight lane and a right turn lane. A car pulled into the right turn lane and with her head turned left, squinting into the sun to see if she could go, some boys walked into the crosswalk. They had a walk signal. They were in the crosswalk. They were eating chips which is a typical breakfast as indicated by the many many kids I see walking to this particular intermediate school every single day.

I knew it was going to happen before it did but there wasn't anything I could do. She started rolling to turn and hit one of the boys. He jumped back and put his hands on the car to stop it and then the driver realized. She was in shock. The boys kept crossing the intersection. The driver rolled down her window, she saw me watching. I rolled down my window to ask the boy if he was okay but he just kept walking. It was loud and maybe he didn't hear me.

My light turned green and I drove home.

Then I emailed the principal. I didn't know what to do exactly but I figured in case later this kid was upset or actually injured somehow or reported it, I would at least back up the kid and let them know it was real. Maybe they'll remind their students that drivers are morons and to be safe. I don't know. The principal responded a bit ago that no one has reported anything. That worries me though. Because kids should expect more from adults driving.

I take car seat safety seriously. M is still rear-facing and she is going to be until she turns four. C is front facing but in a five point harness still. He's short. And he doesn't weigh a lot. So he is going to stay in 5 point for a long time. Does this mean he gets in the car at car line, I pull forward a bit and then park, get out and buckle him in? Yes. Yes it does. I know that some of my friends and specifically my in-laws think I am crazy and over reactive about car seats. My car. My kids. My rules. And if they want to make fun of me for reading my car seat manuals and actually following them? Well that's something I can deal with.

I do what I can because cars scare me. I cannot control the other drivers on the road but I can control what goes on in my car. And that is that everyone is going to be as safe as possible. No winter coats in the car seats. Nothing between the kid and the back of the seat. 5 point harnesses. Extended rear facing. Not using an expired car seat.

While I am driving I do the best I can. No cell phone. Lights on every trip. And I try very very hard to be cognizant of the speed limit. Tailgate me all you want. but a school zone is a school zone to me between the hours of 7-5 on school days. No turn on red, means, even if there's nobody coming, I am not turning on red.

I can't stop seeing that boy. I can't stop thinking about his mother and how she would feel if something more serious had happened. I can't stop thinking about the driver of that car. I hope she has a better day and that she learned her lesson from this without drastic consequences. Thank God, there are no drastic consequences.

Please do the best you can. When you're driving. When you teach your kids to drive. When you buckle your babies in. When you make sure that YOU are buckled. Just try to do the best you can.