Luckily for me, I had the pleasure of speaking with Santa’s wife, Mrs. Claus, just 10 days before Christmas Eve. I reached her at the North Pole by telephone. I expected a very cheerful conversation with her, but it just wasn’t so. She was concerned with Santa’s safety as he made his way around the world. I asked her what her worries were, as I never remembered Santa getting into a crash.

Mrs. Claus told me things are different today. Decades ago, drivers didn’t have so many bells and whistles on their cars. Radios, when they became available, could get only a few stations. There were hardly any distractions, like there are now. The only controls that a driver could operate were the radio, heater, wipers, lights, turn signals, and the horn. The only task was to drive to your destination, so that’s what you did.

Today’s drivers have so many things to distract them from their driving – like cell phones, texting, and navigation systems to name a few. Instead of paying attention to where they are going, they are more interested in who is texting them, what others are saying, and how they are going to answer them.

“It’s not like Santa is airborne all the time – he has to land at each house, and in cities and villages, where houses are close together, he must use the streets and roads to go from house to house” said Mrs. Claus. “I’m so scared someone talking on their cell phone will hit him and his sleigh, or his reindeer.”

Thankfully, Santa has Rudolph to lead his team — Rudolph with his nose so bright is just right thing to lead his sleigh at night. Nevertheless, I could really see the concern in Mrs. Claus’s conversation with me. She was truly worried over her husband’s safety, the safety of the reindeer, and the disappointment that would come to all the children should Santa get in a crash and not be able to complete his rounds.

So, everyone out there driving around on Christmas Eve be aware that Mrs. Claus is very worried for Santa’s safety. Please use extra care and pay attention to your driving – those texts and phone calls can wait a few minutes more, until you get to where you are going. And, if it will be a long time, pull over and stop, then make your text or call. Whatever you do please never put yourself in a position where you might be distracted enough to crash into Santa — there’s just too much at stake.

The Franklin County Traffic Safety Board echoes the concerns of Mrs. Claus and asks that you drive carefully Christmas Eve if you must drive at all. And, why just Christmas Eve — that makes no sense. You should drive with care all the time. It’s the safe thing to do. No, it’s the only thing to do!

Know the law and drive safely, not just on Christmas Eve, but at all times. And to everyone, whether you celebrate Christmas or not, have a very happy and safe holiday season from the Franklin County Traffic Safety Board. And, while we’re at it, have a crash-free 2018.