We were all quietly typing away when a strong, dull thud sounded from outside on Bay to Bay Boulevard. I don’t think anyone questioned what it was.

Here at the South Tampa News and The Tampa Tribune offices, we have long feared a car accident would occur on our doorstep. My co-workers have expressed surprise that it doesn’t happen more often, given the low visibility and high speeding rates along this part of the road.

It’s difficult to see clearly coming out of intersections and parking lots on our stretch of Bay to Bay, between Ferdinand and MacDill avenues. Many lots edge right up to the road, and within them parked cars and SUVs destroy lines of sight. Drivers often rush down Bay to Bay toward the Crosstown Expressway and Bayshore Boulevard, increasing the danger.

It was bound to happen. Considering the risks, I felt relieved the wreckage was not worse.

Here is what I’ve pieced together from observation and discussion:

A red sedan pulled out of the Beach Park Academy II parking lot on Bay to Bay and attempted to head west by crossing over two lanes of oncoming traffic. Unseen by the driver, a gold SUV was headed eastbound on Bay to Bay and collided into the sedan’s driver-side door. Both cars were heavily dented.

At the sound of impact, our South Tampa bureau chief jumped up to check on the victims. A Tribune reporter called 911 and pinpointed the location and vehicle descriptions for rescuers. Within three or four minutes, a fire truck, ambulance and police cruisers had arrived on scene.

No fatal injuries were sustained, but at the time of this writing on Nov. 23 the SUV driver was still in the hospital being treated for chest pains, possibly compounded by her seatbelt and airbag deployment.

The whole thing was all over in less than half an hour.

It has been awhile since I was so close to a traffic accident. The grim sound of collision and the fear on drivers’ strained faces brought a dangerous reality close to home. It’s easy to imagine myself in their situation, especially with the way people drive around here.

I would hope that any passing motorist unfortunate enough to bear witness to a crash might act with renewed respect for his or her vehicle’s power, but I know this is not always the case.

That same day, I was both cut off and tailgated in separate instances. Later, while headed east along Bay to Bay, I saw a motorist pull across the double yellow line and into oncoming traffic. In his hurry to turn left, he was edging into a turn lane designated for drivers on the opposite side of the road.

I avoided the blockage and kept going, not sure if I was angry, astonished or just plain scared. It’s amazing the things people will do in their cars.

As of April 2005, traffic counts listed Bay to Bay Boulevard as operating at a “C” level – crowded, but still under capacity. I was unable to obtain speed studies before publication. (Guess everyone else snuck out of work early the day before Thanksgiving.)

According to Tampa Police Traffic Unit, following too closely is the No. 1 cause of crashes, followed by speeding and drunk driving. They don’t have any categories named “obnoxious maneuver” or “cell phone violation” or “homicidal steering.”

On the flip side – no pun intended – we must be doing something right. As of Nov. 22, South Tampa had completely ranked out of the Top 10 traffic crash locations in the city.

About a year ago we had two in the Top 10, which now includes intersections at Waters and Armenia avenues; Fowler Avenue and 30th Street; and Dale Mabry Highway and Hillsborough Avenue.

I feel like I keep repeating the same mantra on a weekly basis: “beeee saaaafe, beeee saaaafe, beeee saaaafe.”

I’m not about to stop now.