Slow down, please

This was posted today on the WGNA email list and we are sharing it with permission:

"When I was 3, my little friend, who was 4, darted out in front of a car and was killed. I didn't see it, fortunately. At that age, I didn't understand why I couldn't play with her any more – I didn't know that "death" meant she was never coming back.

A few years later, my family moved about 1/2 mile away. Our new house was next door to the (innocent) woman who had killed my little friend. She was innocent – it was not her fault. The kids in my new neighborhood always made fun of how slowly this woman drove, and it was really slow. I'm pretty sure she didn't drive like that before she killed my little friend. I mean, for other drivers, I'm sure it was like annoyingly slow. But as an adult, now knowing what I know, I can understand.

My little friend's sister, who was born after she was killed, is a radio announcer on [local radio station] who I hear almost daily. I think about my little friend frequently – I don't know why. But when I drive by parks or schools where there are a lot of cars parked on the street, I know that there might be kids between those cars who could dart out into the street, so I just drive really slowly and look carefully. I am so afraid of hitting anyone.

This is why I drive slowly near schools and parks."