The shopping season has begun and none of us are safe on our roads

It is that time of year when the rookies will be in their cars in greater numbers. College kids home from school to take the mini-van out for a night of carousing with their townie pals, moms with too much to do and not enough time, drivers headed home from after-work holiday parties with too many libations. Coupled with this will be the new snow and ice season. A recent accident in tony Wellesley Mass. highlights just how unsafe we all really are.

According to Wellesley police, a woman was out to buy her holiday turkey, and catch up on some “Fresh Air” when things went all bad for her an others. The Boston Herald called the woman “an award winning emergency room doctor.” As the video below shows, the woman’s choice of automobiles helps her to make the jump through the parking lot, across the grassy knoll, and then head into the driver she hits T-bone style. Without the robust suspension and beefy 8.7 inches of ground clearance of the Outback, this maneuver may not have been possible. There is no reports from the police as to whether the driver was using the “eyesight driver assist system with lane departure warning.” It does look as if the driver may have been able to put to good use the 6 airbags and rollover sensors all Outbacks are equipped with.

The Boston Herald quoted the driver, Dr. Kristin Howard as saying to police “I was listening to NPR radio ... in my car ... and decided I needed to get gas…I was going to Whole Foods to buy a Thanksgiving turkey.” A hospital spokesperson told the Herald that an ongoing “Active” investigation will try to determine if and why the doctor was writing herself prescriptions. Apparently, police reports indicate they found Klonopin and Diazepam in her jacket pockets and other possible controlled substances. Having been relieved of her duties by the Newton-Wellesley Hospital, Dr. Howard should now have more time to secure and prepare her holiday meal.

There is no word on if Subaru will contact Dr. Howard with regards to a contract for the upcoming World Rally Championship season.

photo and video courtesy of YouTube.com and Wellesleypdphoto