COLUMN: Help on the road is invaluable

Recent headlines in the Inter Lake show folks in Northwest Montana still know how to be Good Samaritans.

Two recent car accidents bear testimony.

When a sport utility vehicle rolled at Logan Pass on July 23 — a busy Saturday in Glacier Park — passers-by rushed to the scene to help the victims. A photo captured by the Inter Lake’s Assistant Manager Scott Crandell, who happened to have just parked up there to hike the Highline Trail, shows one man standing on top of the van reaching down and another with hands outstretched toward a woman to help her climb up out of the passenger-side door.

With the visitors’ assistance, all the passengers were safely out of the toppled van before park personnel arrived.

Just four days later, a serious three-vehicle collision occurred on U.S. 2 West near Marion. When a pickup slowed to turn into the Ashley Lake green-box site (on a stretch of highway where the legal speed limit is 70), the car behind it, driven by a mother with her two children as passengers, also slowed down to wait for the pickup driver to turn left.

A third vehicle apparently didn’t notice the slowed traffic until the last moment. Fortunately, its driver was able to hit her brakes, slowing her pick up down to 45 or 50 miles per hour before rear-ending the car.

According to the responding highway patrol trooper, had she not decreased her speed, the accident could have been much worse. There was extensive damage to all the vehicles, but thankfully all were wearing seat belts.

Pat Geer of Libby wrote the Inter Lake to thank those travelers who stopped to help her daughter and grandchildren who were in the car that was book-ended in the crash.

Her daughter had expressed to her how much help, support and kindness her family received during the accident.

“Fellow travelers stopped and jumped in with both feet in an attempt to check for injuries, calm everyone as best they could and protect them from additional harm,” Geer said.

In all, three adults and the two children were taken to the hospital with minor injuries.

“The ambulance crew, fire department, Montana Highway Patrol and the staff at Kalispell Regional Medical Center were exceptional in attending to my family both physically and emotionally,” Geer wrote. “We would like to say thank you and keep up the outstanding work. This type of care, attention and concern is the norm where I live but is not often shared, so that is why I am writing this letter. Again, thank you.”

Such accidents are good reminders to drivers to stay alert out there on the roads. The increase in traffic during our summer season is something we all have to contend with. Watch out for the other guy, keep a safe distance behind traffic and, for gosh sake, wear your seat belts.

Community editor Carol Marino may be reached at 758-4440 or by email at community@dailyinterlake.com.