DEAR ABBY: Last year, on April 30, my 16-year-old son was hit by a car and killed. He was walking with friends in the rain on a dark road at night. The driver of the car says he never saw my son, although he was wearing a dark sweatshirt with white designs on it, black pants and a white hat. I will never know exactly what was going on in my son's head, walking in the rain at night. And I will have to live with the pain of losing him for the rest of my life.
I would like to urge other parents out there that whenever your sons or daughters leave the house -- no matter what time of day or night it is -- make sure they have some sort of bright clothing on or with them. You never know when they might be walking in the dark.
Also, no matter what is going on in your life, or theirs, please make sure that you always tell them you love them. Because in just a snap of a finger, your child could be gone. -- SAD IN CLINTON, MASS.
DEAR SAD: Please accept my deepest sympathy for the tragic loss of your son. Your message is worth repeating, and it applies to adults as well as young people. Pedestrians as well as bicycle riders should make absolutely certain they can be seen by drivers by wearing reflective clothing at night. No one wants to think of him- or herself as a statistic, but accidents can and do happen to anyone. An ounce of prevention ...