Several lives will never be the same in the wake of an accident that killed an Amish man and injured four people riding in the family’s buggy.

According to Sheriff Joe Gerace, the buggy was traveling south on Weeks Road when it was reportedly struck by a vehicle. The vehicle crashed into a ditch, while the buggy was “completely destroyed,” according to Gerace. A female adult and child in the buggy sustained serious injuries and were transported by Starflight helicopter to UPMC Hamot hospital in Erie, Pa. Two other children in the buggy also sustained injuries and were transported by ambulance to receive medical care. Police could not confirm at the time where the children were being transported. The driver’s life is forever changed, as are the lives of those who live near the accident site who will struggle to forget the things they saw and heard last week.

This is the third accident involving an Amish buggy this year and by far the worst. All three accidents, however, were preventable if only drivers took their time, slowed down when cresting hills and blind corners and observed basic traffic guidelines around the Amish.

The Amish are our neighbors – and they aren’t going anywhere. We must do a better job of sharing the road with them.