Stop Signs - A Near Miss

Today started as any other morning.  Kids rushing around getting ready for school.

I still fighting this awful cold, was throwing up just moments before the kids left. 

As I do every morning I left the door open as I watched the  girls 9 and 11 cross the street at the 4 way stop in front of our house.

I watched them step out to cross our street,  a van was coming to the stop sign, signalling left.  I wasn't concerned about it as it had to stop at the stop sign and the kids were already walking across the street.

This is when everything stopped for me.

The van never stopped at the stop sign.  It kept going, turning into my children crossing the street.  They screamed.  One ran backwards, the other froze and stared at the car coming at her.  All the while I stood at my door helpless.

The Van  narrowly missed my daughter 11.  She realized at the last minute and stopped, but then drove around my daughter. 

The driver stopped and got out of her van in front of my driveway.  My Momma bear kicked in.

"What were you thinking?,  That's a stop sign you are suppose to stop."  She replied, the sun was in my eyes I didn't see them.  I said many things to this, including if you would have hit her, the sun in your eyes would not have been an excuse.  I was furious.

This women, says I have a daughter too.  Which still didn't make her error better.

She simply was in a hurry, not paying attention to the 4 way stop, like so many who drive past my house.  They treat it like it is a stop if it's convenient. 

The worst thing is this lady lives in the neighbourhood, her child most likely knows my girls.  I have seen her run the stop sign before, today was not the first time.  However today was almost a tragedy. 

So many of us rush around, much like teenagers we don't think that a rolling stop is dangerous, we will see pedestrians before it's too late.  However today showed, she didn't.

So many people once in a car, disobey the 4 way stop.

Please stop completely at them.  They are there for a reason.  For safety.
The next time could   be tragic.

I will be holding my girls tightly this evening.