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Deer!It happened too fast to stop, swerve out of the way, or do anything but make impact.A member of our editorial board is now waiting on more than $1,000 in repairs on his pickup after crashing into one of nature&#8217;s wonders in the middle of the afternoon one day last week.Fortunately, the vehicle is still drivable. And yes, we know $1,000 in body work indicates more of a glancing blow than a direct strike. (Again, fortunately.)But the roadway mishap, specifically how fast it all happened, got us thinking a lot about people&#8217;s driving habits in general and how quickly a mundane trip to town could turn into something much more memorable.Just look at what happened Friday night in Wilkes-Barre, when two young people were struck by a vehicle at Wilkes-Barre Boulevard and Northampton Street.And do you remember the August 2017 near-tragedy in Rice Township when a driver struck a family of six and a relative out for a walk along a quiet road in their development?Among the injured that day was a 10-month-old toddler in a stroller.Everyone survived, but some were seriously injured.We still don&#8217;t have all the details on last Friday&#8217;s crash in Wilkes-Barre, and the driver in the Rice Township accident was ultimately spared from criminal charges after a lengthy investigation.So, we point to these cases not to assign blame but to serve as a reminder to everyone of the enormous responsibility we accept when climbing behind our steering wheels every day.One mistake can change your life or someone else&#8217;s life forever.Since driving is a privilege and not a right, it&#8217;s only fair we honor the granting of that privilege by being alert and aware at all times while driving and following some basic guidelines to help keep everyone safe.First, vigilantly monitor your speed.Reaction time is everything. But the faster you are driving, the less of it you have.In the case of our TL staffer, he was climbing a hill at the time of the fatal deer strike, so he was traveling at a speed that allowed him to slow slightly before he made impact. That most likely kept estimated damage to $1,000 as opposed to several thousand.Second, &#8216;tis the season to pay real close attention to your tires.Grab a penny, turn it upside down, and stick it between your tire grooves. If any part of Lincoln&#8217;s head is obscured, you have enough tread to safely travel. If you can clearly see Abe&#8217;s head, you need new tires.Remember that freak November snowstorm? Traffic crawled for miles on Route 309 through Mountain Top, and a big part of the problem that day appeared to be a few drivers with badly worn tires who could get no traction. Those vehicles were in no way prepared for winter weather, creating a dangerous situation for a lot of other motorists.And even though we should not have to repeat these: no texting at the wheel, no aggressive driving, always wear your seat belt and no drinking and driving.Amazingly, Wilkes-Barre police suspect two drivers were intoxicated in a crash about 2 a.m. Sunday on North Pennsylvania Avenue.Really?We know this column is not going to stop DUIs, or speeding or poor driving in general. And accidents will always happen.We&#8217;re just hoping some people who read this will be reminded of the responsibility they have to help keep everyone safe.Once you hit something or someone, it&#8217;s too late. &#8212; Times Leader<style>
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<div class="neCaption">This 2018 photo shows a three-vehicle crash on Interstate 81 near the Wilkes-Barre exit. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/web1_TTL012418Crash1CMYK.jpg</photo0><caption0>This 2018 photo shows a three-vehicle crash on Interstate 81 near the Wilkes-Barre exit. </caption0><photoCredit0>Times Leader file photo </photoCredit0></div></div>

Our View: Of deer, driving, and the responsibility we all share