The Morning That Changed Everything

I still remember the morning like it was yesterday. My mom sat my siblings and me down at the kitchen table, with her face tired and pale, as if she had not slept all night. She said, “Dad was in an accident,” after taking a deep breath. My heart fell. My understanding was unclear. She said his car battery had died. Therefore, he had been hit on the side of the highway and was waiting for assistance. Immediately, I started to ask questions: Was he alright? Was he alive? Was he coming home? My dad had stopped on the shoulder of a busy highway the night before because his car battery had died. He stayed outside the car, turned on his hazard lights, and patiently waited for roadside help; everything was right. He was following all the guidelines, being careful and reasonable. Someone else, though, did not follow similarly. Texting and not paying attention to the road, a vehicle swerved into the shoulder and collided fully with my dad’s car. The effects were strong. Instant total for the car as glass broke all over the road. The metal frame of the car twisted like plastic. My dad was in an ambulance headed to the hospital. He had some injuries and other bruises all over his body, but had nothing life-threatening. I later learned that the other guy who hit my dad might not have survived if the impact had been just a few inches nearer where he was seated. When my mother informed us what happened the following morning, I developed a strong kind of nervousness not previously experienced. Blown away, my siblings and I sat there trying to stay tough while holding back tears. Still, all I could focus on was the accident. All because someone was eager to text someone else. That knowledge really struck me hard. It still does. Seeing my dad in the hospital was terrible. He looked weak and exhausted, bound to crutches and unable to walk without assistance. For weeks he was in pain. Our family’s routines were disrupted; he couldn’t work, drive, or even sleep through the night without waking up uncomfortable. Along with handling everything else at home, my mother had to look after him. It was emotionally draining, not only physically demanding. One question also stayed in my mind throughout: Why would somebody risk so much simply to check their phone while driving? That accident changed my perspective on driving. Before, I considered driving to be essentially about freedom, getting to travel wherever you wanted, anytime you wanted. I now see it is far more than that. Driving brings obligations. You do this not only for your own safety but also for that of everyone around you. Every time you get behind the wheel, you are deciding not only about your own but also about the life of others. For this reason, I find driver’s education to be highly important. It’s about learning how to be safe, how to stay concentrated, and how to respect the life of others on the road, not only about passing a test or obtaining a license. It’s about knowing the hazards, realizing how fast things might go wrong, and acting to stop that from occurring. Driver’s ed provides the tools we need to be responsible behind the wheel and I would like to take that chance completely. If I am privileged to get this scholarship, I will not take it for granted. As my sister and friends take driver’s ed and finally get licensed, I will make sure they carry with them what I have learned from my dad’s accident. I always stay attentive, never text behind the wheel, and never drive distracted. I want to lead a positive example for my younger sister and friends and help make the roads safer for all. Being a safe driver protects people’s life, and it’s not only about legal compliance. It is about ensuring that no other family must go through what mine did. It’s about realizing that one second of diversion can lead to years of suffering and loss. That is something no one can forget. That morning at the kitchen table, I saw the world change. It made clear to me that life is fragile and that accidents can happen to anyone, including those who are doing everything right. It also taught me the importance of awareness, responsibility, and compassion. Every time someone drives, they are holding a steering wheel and the ability to either save or ruin lives.I’m ready to take on that obligation, and this scholarship would enable me to start on that journey. One decision at a time, I want to be the kind of driver that makes the roadways a safer place, recognizing the experience of my dad by doing things differently.