Westbound Boarder

I talked to my mom briefly this morning on my way to work, and she told me quite the sad story.  She was at Mt. Hood this past weekend for the Pond Skim (great event, BTW; keep an eye out for Danielle’s post coming soon).  My mom had heard of a traffic accident somewhere near Sandy, so instead of sitting in traffic she decided to make a nice, long (overnight) stop at a friend’s cabin in Government Camp.  Well, turns out, the traffic accident was a triple fatality… and the next day, my mom received a phone call informing her that one of the persons involved in the accident was a friend of hers from work; Pam Benson.

According to my mom, Pam and her 11-year-old daughter were driving home from a baseball game in Sandy, her son and husband in a separate car, and an 18-year-old driver ran a red light and hit the pair from the side, killing them both instantly.  Sources at the scene say the driver ran two red lights in a row, and was obviously driving recklessly.

My heart and deepest sympathy goes out to the Benson family.  Though I did not know Pam personally, my mom says she was a kind, caring human being with a good heart.  She always practiced proper safety procedures, right down to buckling her daughter in the back seat at all times just to be extra safe.  The irony pains me to think about.

So why am I telling you this?  Accidents happen all the time, especially near the mountain.  Sometimes just a fender bender, but sometimes more serious, and in this case, even fatal.  I know Danielle and I often discuss safety on the hill, but don’t often talk about (or really even think about) safety off the hill.  In reality, driving in unpredictable conditions can be dangerous, and its important to be cautious at all times.  Please take this accident as a small reminder to always follow the posted speed limit and traffic laws, and to be well-aware of your surroundings and drivers around you.  In this case, Pam couldn’t have foreseen the situation; but you can.

If you have a spare moment tonight or this week, please feel free to leave a comment below in sympathy of the Benson family, or say a silent prayer in their memory.

UPDATE: I stand corrected – I just learned that the driver walked away from the crash.  Unharmed.  He was arrested shortly after for robbery and wreckless driving.  This really hits my former point home – it seems that it is always the innocent who pay for others’ mistakes.  I truely hope that this driver does not go unpunished.