I know this has been said before, but it’s worth repeating. Again and again.

Stay alert out there on the road, whether you’re walking, biking or driving.

Call me Mr. Obvious, but not enough people pay attention out there these days, especially when you add phone calls and texting into the mix.

Never assume that everything will go your way and that people are aware of where you are on the road.

I know that we’re used to a fast-paced life, but it’s OK to slow things down a little sometimes for safety’s sake.

These thoughts are always in my head, but they were reinforced on Monday morning when I headed out to Willows Road to cover an accident in which a semi-truck and a car — carrying five people — collided.

As I walked down the hill and approached Willows Road, which was partially blocked off by the Redmond Police Department (RPD), my ears were met with an eerie silence.

When I turned the corner onto Willows and saw the aftermath of the accident, I was shocked to see the way the truck and car were positioned. It was as if the truck was swallowing the car, which was partially pinned underneath the truck.

The accident is still under investigation, but according to the RPD, the car’s driver apparently thought the truck driver was letting him pass before turning his truck right into a business complex parking lot.

That didn’t happen. There were some injuries, and thankfully, everyone is fine.

We don’t know exactly what happened on Monday, and I’ll leave it at that. It was an accident.

And as we head into the new year, I’ll repeat: Let’s try and make 2013 a safe one, for ourselves and those around us.