save = prevent?

[Douglas G. Wilson]

>"That's what allowed the bus driver to get it over to the side of the
>road," he said. "It may have saved a real tragedy here."

This fits AHD4's transitive sense #6 ("obviate"), or transitive sense #3a
in the M-W Web dictionary ("avoid"). RHUD's example of this sense: "come
early in order to save waiting".

I too find it odd when the thing avoided or prevented is something other
than an expenditure (of time or money or equivalent).

-- Doug Wilson