As I descended the southern side of the SW 2nd Avenue Bridge this morning and began to make the turn onto SW 7th Street, I was quickly stopped by a blockade of yellow tape, Miami Police officers and Public Service Aids. My first thought was either murder, or a really bad traffic accident. As it turns out, it was the latter…or was it both?
The Miami Herald reports that an elderly woman was killed by two colliding cars on SW Third Avenue. The driver of one vehicle and his two passengers quickly fled the scene, but were soon apprehended at a fast food joint nearby. The driver of the other car had to be extracted and taken to Jackson Memorial.
While there is little doubt that there was reckless driving involved–and that those who fled the scene are likely the culprits–most incidents such as this are all too often labeled as “accidents.” Sure, the drivers probably had no intent to kill. Yet, when you engage in reckless driving, drive while under the influence, or anything of the sort, the result is not an accident.
So while this may not be murder per se, calling it a mere “accident” greatly cheapens the severity of the incident. For more on the how the media and popular culture distorts the public perception of these types of automotive collisions, please read this important article from Greater Greater Washington.
