An Open Letter to Parents

Dear Moms and Dads Who Drive:

Please, please pay attention as you drive through intersections, especially those with crosswalks.  There have been countless times that you have driven right through the crosswalk without even noticing that Rory and I are there in the street.  You don't even realize that you're a few seconds away from hitting a person and her dog with your car.

Rory and I love to go running, and she actually knows to look both ways in intersections with me.  We never cross a street with cars until I can make eye contact with the driver, but I need you to know that you rarely even see us there.   You make a rolling stop through the crosswalk lines, all while the crosswalk guy is lit up on the light posts.  You don't even pause to look for pedestrians at the corner.

Parents, I hate to single you out, but nearly every time a driver has driven right out in front of us, it's been a driver with their own kids in the car.  Family cars are the ones not paying attention in the crosswalks.  It really upsets me when a parent is the one not seeing us out there, because I had assumed that parents would pay more attention to crosswalk lights and runners and dogs on the sidewalks.  But, I'm sad to say that no, they're actually the least aware.

Please pay attention as you drive.  I'm someone's child, too.

Love,
sara


(image courtesy of Sacramento County)