It has been a particularly tragic week on Butler County’s highways, with three people killed in the span of two days in accidents where speed and erratic — or inexplicable — driving were factors.

The first two deaths came on Tuesday afternoon when a Jeep Cherokee driven by Ronald J. Tokarchik, 40, of Franklin Township slammed head-on into a Subaru Outback driven by 52-year-old Mary Lou Berry of Clarion, killing both drivers on a busy stretch of Route 422.

The third fatality came early Wednesday morning in Butler Township, when a Dodge Stratus driven by 22-year-old Lindsey Dickey of Gibsonia went off the road while headed north in the southbound lanes of Route 8.

Police say drugs or alcohol don’t appear to have been involved in either crash.

Police are asking the same questions in both cases:

n Why were these drivers in such a hurry?

n Why were they driving so erratically?

As Butler Township Police Chief John Hays said regarding the Route 8 crash: “We may never know.”

What we do know is that these devastating crashes occur far too often.

In eight of the past 10 years, more than 20 people have been killed in fatal crashes in Butler County. Last year the county had 24 fatal crashes. In 2004, a high of 30 people were killed.

This week, keep the families of those killed in your thoughts. Their pain over the loss of loved ones will surely be sharpened in coming weeks.

And keep in your thoughts the knowledge that we all have the power to make our roads a safer place to be.

Slow down, enjoy the passing of time and the splendor of the holidays rather than trying to beat the crowds, and have a safe holiday season.