The death of a Pennsylvania state trooper during a traffic stop on March 8 underscores how the lives of law enforcement officers are at risk even while performing some of their most basic duties.

Cpl. Tim O’Connor was killed while approaching a car he had stopped after authorities were alerted about what was described as an “erratic driver.” O’Connor was shot to death while he was walking toward the car; it is believed that the driver fired from inside the vehicle.

After firing the shot, the shooter, identified as Jesse Nathan Elks, 32, exited the car, walked a short distance away, then shot and killed himself with a pistol.

The shooter’s death means that authorities might never know what actually was going through the shooter’s mind during his erratic travel and when the trooper was approaching his car.

It is possible that he did not intend to wound or kill O’Connor. Regardless, he aimed his weapon at the approaching trooper rather than to the trooper’s left or right, or higher. Minutes later, the state police were left to mourn the 105th trooper to die in the line of duty.

The events of March 8 should cause other drivers — and passengers alike — to pause and reflect.

No one relishes the thought of being pulled over by an officer for reasons such as a traffic violation, something unsafe on one’s vehicle or because the vehicle resembles one that is being sought for some reason. Whether or not a ticket is issued, the reality of being stopped is unnerving to most drivers, especially if someone never before had his or her vehicle stopped, usually drives safely and always seeks to comply with speed limits and other regulations, such as not passing a stopped school bus whose blinking red lights are activated while schoolchildren are boarding or disembarking.

No doubt Elks’ driving record will be, or already has been, examined by authorities investigating O’Connor’s death, just as whether the shooter had an arrest record.

What caused him to respond in such a way, apparently before having any direct contact with the trooper, no doubt has been and will continue to be at the center of the investigation, until the probe concludes.

Three words spoken by Gov. Josh Shapiro during a news conference held in the aftermath of O’Connor’s death merit attention. Referring to O’Connor as a hero, the governor emphasized that O’Connor “died protecting others.”

While a minority of people might question how O’Connor was protecting others at the time of his death, giving serious thought to the governor’s words easily yields an answer.

What if Elks, driving in an erratic manner, had continued toward whatever his destination might have been, and, before getting there, had crashed his car into another vehicle, killing the other driver and anyone else in that vehicle, perhaps a family.

Of course, other possibilities are many, as well as myriad possible outcomes.

O’Connor died while carrying out his duties on behalf of the people of Pennsylvania and anyone else in the commonwealth at that time, preventing any of the myriad possible dreaded outcomes.

The best advice for any generally law-abiding person whose vehicle is stopped for any reason by police — state or municipal — is to remain calm and cooperative. Police are trained to be courteous, even if the situation demands that they be firm.

Today, for the 105th time, the state police are mourning the loss of one of their own. Cpl. O’Connor did not deserve that fate.