How I Almost Died

 

How are we defining the word “good” nowadays? My dad is a notoriously “good” driver to some, but to me he is reckless. He is able to navigate tight parking spots in the city and travel across the country without a GPS, but at what cost? Due to his hasty driving, there have been multiple instances when I thought we were going to crash, and several times I thought my life on Earth would be over and that my life would just become another statistic. The following story has left me with some trauma and always lingers in my mind when I drive.

This event from a harsh Illinois winter is like a flashing light in my memory. My mother needed groceries but didn’t feel comfortable driving on the icy roads. Instead, she sent my father and instructed him to take either me or my older brother. Subsequently, he chose me and made the decision that we would ride in the family’s 1998 Toyota Tacoma. I was only 5 years old. I felt as though there was no way we could make it since the snow was as tall as I was at the time (so it wasn’t really that tall). Moreover, the roads remained covered in snow despite the day-long plowing efforts. Nonetheless, we hopped into the truck and waited for it to warm up. While we waited, my dad probably rambled on about how cold it was outside, but I was too excited about going on a snowy adventure to pay much attention. I pressed my face against the window to watch the snow-covered trees and newly made snowmen. The truck was warm now, but instead of performing essential driving procedures, such as checking mirrors and fastening a seatbelt, he just went ahead. My dad has always been very trusting of his abilities to drive, so he usually never wears a seatbelt, and I, trying to be as cool as him, never did either. As soon as he put the truck in reverse, we started slipping and sliding. I slammed into the passenger side door before we even left the driveway. Nonetheless, my dad continued. The grocery store was only a five-minute drive away. What could possibly go wrong in five minutes? It turns out that a lot can, in fact, happen. Turning out of the neighborhood, there was a giant patch of ice. Instead of getting safely on the right side of the road, we spun in circles. I remember everything going blurry and the wind getting knocked out of me due to the impact of swinging around. Even at 5 years old, I understood the concept of death and thought this was the end. Although we were spinning for only seconds, it felt like hours. It’s a mystery how we didn’t hit anything or anybody. Once the truck finally settled, me and dad simply looked at each other. Fear still lingered in our eyes once the commotion of the truck settling was over. We took some deep breaths, and my dad made sure I was okay. Thankfully, my dad managed to safely navigate through the icy patch and all the way to the store. On the way back, he most likely gave a whole lecture about how dangerous it is to drive on ice, but I could not focus on a word he said. I couldn’t shake off the adrenaline rush from our near-miss. In contrast, my dad treated it as a routine occurrence.

Since I started driving, I have followed all the rules of the road down to the last letter to avoid a life changing accident, especially wearing my seatbelt. I never want to feel death that closely ever again. I disregard remarks from my friends and family who criticize my driving for being too slow or making long stops. I learned years ago that a few seconds can change everything, so I willingly take an extra second at a yield or while making a turn. Moreover, I think it’s more important than ever to drive safely, especially for teenagers, who are statistically more likely to be involved in accidents. Remembering the impact of that accident keeps me vigilant on the road, prioritizing safety over speed. Even just the other day, a friend of mine and a member of the community died in a car accident due to not wearing his seatbelt. It’s a tragic reminder of the consequences of reckless driving and the importance of taking precautions to protect ourselves and those around us.