It is a dark night, the kind where the moon and the stars go missing. A young couple is driving along an unlit highway with nothing between them and total darkness but the stretch of light beaming from the headlights. There is a clash of thunder, a flash of lighting, and rain falls in sheets, streaming so fast down the windshield that the view before the man whose driving becomes a collage of wavy distortions. He leans forward, squinting, as his new wife beside him starts begging him to pull over. He ignores her, focusing all of his concentration on the road. Suddenly, a figure appears in the lights. He slams on the brakes. He swerves. The car spins out of control. His body braces for impact, but they are lucky. The car slides into a ditch. As they emerge from the vehicle, they spot a deer gazing at them from the opposite side of the road. Twenty miles have passed since they last saw any sign of life. The next town is fifteen miles ahead on the map. Thankfully, he gets a signal on his cell phone and is able to call roadside assistance.

Accidents like this …