On Monday, I was tapped to cover the nighttime police beat. This basically involves listening to the scanner most of the night and trying to chase down serious accidents, fires and any other newsworthy item that happens after sundown. In short, a whole lot of time in your car.

It's always been a kind of a joke, my messy car. In the front console alone, I have a coffee cup containing deodorant, perfume, nail polish and a toothbrush and toothpaste.

In the back seat and trunk area, among my books on cd, library books and newspapers, I could rummage and find the necessary clothes and equipment for any after-work activity that may arise: cross-country ski boots, racquetball and squash racquets, ballet slippers for my get-graceful class. Anything.

The bad thing, and what I realized Monday, is that all this stuff often serves as a distraction when I should be focusing on driving. On the rare time in my car when I am not talking on my cell phone, I am listening to books on cd, music cds, applying makeup, perfume, and, at countless red lights, brushing my teeth.

So, if a 6-year-old girl had run in front of my car on Ridge Avenue, like the one who got off a school bus and ran in front of a far more conscientious driver than me on Monday afternoon, things might have ended badly. Instead, Washington police told me that this motorist was driving very slowly, had been paying attention, and did not injure the girl seriously.

What a blessing. I will try to do better.