A 3-year-old child toddles along a sidewalk beside a busy street, alone. She careens from edge to edge, sometimes teetering at the curb.

Pedestrians pass by, distracted by thoughts of work or sounds from their earbuds. People peer into their phones from the window counter in a coffee shop. Honks signal motorists’ impatience.

Now freeze the action.

Pedestrian deaths are tragic but rare. Some 5,977 pedestrians died in U.S. traffic crashes in 2017, according to the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. That was 0.000018% of the population.

Child pedestrian deaths accounted for an even smaller share.

Now, resume the action. Will the toddler step into traffic? What will happen?

We’ll let covid-19 vaccinations be a proxy for giving a damn about others, because shots protect more than ourselves. Of those eligible nationally, 41% have not been fully vaccinated. In my state, Louisiana, it’s 62%.

And what of wearing masks?

Do the math. How many will act to prevent possible injury or death? How many will invoke personal freedom and thus cause real illness and actual death?

Poor child.

---

A video to prompt chuckles and thoughts