To the editor:

As I was carefully driving through the intersections at Sixth and Kentucky, Sixth and Vermont and Sixth and Massachusetts around 9 a.m. Sunday, it was still snowing and the streets were not clear yet. At first, I was glad to see a sand truck coming in the opposite direction.

My appreciation for the sand truck rapidly turned into anger: I had to slam on my brakes in “iffy” driving conditions (“iffy” is putting it nicely!) to avoid being run over by the sand truck. Imagine my shock when I looked up to see that the truck’s driver was talking on a cell phone! Even worse, I don’t think he even realized that he had run a red light, or nearly caused an accident.

This truck was not a city truck, as far as I could tell, but it was about the same size. If it was a private contractor, who are they accountable to? I will admit that I have a cell phone, but I turn it off or to silent, when I need to drive in poor conditions. I definitely don’t take a hand off the wheel. Maybe, Mr. Sand Truck Driver, you should think twice about doing the same!

Right now, I am really grateful that my driver’s ed classes back in high school, and my parents, taught me how to be a defensive driver. Thanks, Mom and Dad, and my LHS driver’s ed teachers back in 1990.