The Impact of Distracted Driving

Driving a car is a teenage milestone most 16-year-olds are eager to hit. I was not one of those teenagers. An unfortunate tragedy I witnessed involving reckless and distracted driving resulted in the death of a close family friend. This event not only shaped the person I am today but also strongly deterred me from wanting to learn to drive. It took a long time and a very supportive drivers education instructor to help me feel confident to get behind the wheel. To this day I drive with an abundance of caution and awareness as I know how quickly circumstances can change.

Irresponsible and reckless driving caused a significant and traumatic experience for me that will forever be woven into who I am as a person. We were enjoying our annual fireworks/bonfire party at my Papa’s house fifteen miles out of town on New Year’s Eve 2020. His house sits on top of a long, curvy mountain road. The dirt road can be really treacherous and we’re always really cautious in the winter because of how steep and narrow it is. As we started doing fireworks, it began freezing rain with a mixture of heavy sleet and snow. All of the adults made the decision to head down the mountain road earlier than expected because of the weather. There was a total of 5 cars and we all packed up, said goodbye to my Papa and headed out. I was in the last car heading down the driveway and as our friends Cole and Michelle passed us quickly on the road. Cole was driving and we saw him talking on his cell phone, laughing and going faster than anyone else. His wife Michelle waved at us and they headed down the road. We followed them and as we rounded the first bend, we watched Cole’s truck fly off the road and fall down the very steep embankment. His truck rolled many times, completely destroyed from the impact. Unfortunately, Cole wasn’t wearing his seatbelt and was ejected from the truck, hitting a tree. Thankfully his wife was wearing her seatbelt, but she continued to roll down the hill in the truck. We jumped out of our car and ran to the hillside. I remember standing on the side of the road watching my dad slide down the deep embankment trying to help. He was screaming and I don’t think I’ll ever forget that sound. My mom called 911. The other cars that had gone down before us could not get back up the road because it’s a one lane, very narrow road that was very icy. My little sister and I ran back to my Papa’s to get help while my mom and dad stayed at the scene where Cole’s truck had gone off. I remember how cold and dark it was that night as my Papa and I drove back to the scene in his side by side. Another one of the dad’s friends ran back up the road to help my dad and they were able to find Cole but not his wife. My dad did CPR for over an hour as we waited for the ambulance. The issue was the roads were so bad all over the county that it took a long time for help to arrive. The county had to use a sanding truck to allow the ambulance to get up the road to the spot where the truck had gone off. We used our cell phone flashlights to try and shine any light for my dad and I remember looking down the mountain hillside seeing his tiny cell phone light shining as he tried to help Cole. I could hear my dad crying and yelling for help and we kept telling him they were on the way. My dad’s friend found Michelle, still seat belted in the truck down the mountainside. She had rolled over 150 yards and was in really bad shape. I can’t even tell you how long we were standing on the road before the ambulance and search and rescue team arrived. Using a pully system and sled, they were able to get Cole loaded and brought back to the road. Sadly, he was dead which is a sight I’ll never unsee. My dad came crawling up the embankment dirty and frozen. I remember watching him doubled over crying and throwing up. My mom was kneeling next to Cole’s body praying as I stood there unsure of what to even do. The rescue team was able to extract Michelle and she was still alive. She was airlifted out of Omak to a larger hospital where she was in ICU for a long time. This experience felt like a nightmare that I kept replaying in my head and hearing when I closed my eyes. I remember the next several months felt like I was in a haze. My parents were both really struggling and our small community was really shaken by this event. The roads had been so bad that night and it was such a tragic accident, but we know that he had been talking on his phone while driving in the dark on icy roads. Through this experience it has completely shifted my mindset around distracted driving and I’m very vocal to my peers and classmates about not using our devices while driving. The next football season after the accident was dedicated to Cole and our effort to further highlight the dangerous outcomes that come when people text while driving. My life has never been the same. My parent’s life has never been the same. Michelle is now a widow, lost her business and her life too has been changed forever.

About a year after the accident, I was eligible for drivers’ education but simply did not want to. I had no desire to drive. Frankly I did not even like riding in a car anywhere further than around town. However, after my freshman year of high school I realized that not driving was impacting me in ways such as not having transportation to my summer job. Therefore, I made the decision to finally take drivers education. I remember my instructor being very patient and kind. I have no idea if he knew about my previous experience but he taught my classes with a really great mixture of seriousness and humor. The entire class was filled with teenagers who all aired their invincible spirit about life. I had a different outlook as a result of what I’d witnessed with the accident and took every minute of the class seriously. I passed both the written driving test and drive with flying colors and DJ told me I was one of the most contentious drivers he’d ever taught. He might tell everyone of his students this but I know for myself I am a very cautious, safe, and mindful driver.

During my driver’s education course there was a unit on fatalities and the outcome of unsafe driving. I sat through that portion of the class thinking about my lived experience with Cole’s car accident and wondered if the kids sitting around me had any idea how quickly one small mistake could instantly change someone’s life forever. Hopefully most people never have to experience what I did and seeing images of car wrecks during a driver’s education scares people enough to be safe. But I know that isn’t always the case. The importance of driver’s education in helping reduce the number of deaths through education and awareness can’t be stressed enough. It is only through education and awareness that teenage drivers can learn how safety practices while driving are the only way to prevent tragedies. As scary as seeing images of wrecks and fatalities can be, sometimes that is the best method to “scare straight” a teenage driver who does not see the big picture.

After getting my license I did not immediately drive much more than to work and once in a while to school. I continued relying on my parents and riding my bike a lot of the time. Slowly I began driving more and more. I remember my first longer drive was to the lake after work one summer day. This helped build my confidence and gave me the reassurance that I am a safe driver and can handle being on the road. My parents continued to remind me that it was important to drive with some regularity in order to practice and build my confidence. I think young drivers need to take that step seriously in order to become safer drivers on the road. When I was old enough to have other people ride with me, I continued demonstrating very strict driving habits. No one gets in my car and doesn’t immediately put on their seatbelt. I always put my phone on Do Not Disturb and never speed.

I just finished my first semester of college and it probably won’t surprise you to learn I did not take a vehicle with me. Not only was it financially not viable, I knew that driving down there was not something I was ready to handle. The freeways are much busier than I am accustomed to and it’s an overall much faster pace. However, my parents are bringing my car down during Spring Break because I will be starting a part time job that does require transportation. I am not embarrassed to admit that I’m nervous to be driving here but I also know I have some plans in order to feel more at ease. My parents are staying for a few days during my break and we plan on driving around to allow me to become assimilated with SoCal driving. This will make me a safe, more comfortable driver on the road.

In today’s world there are so many cautionary tales about everything from drugs, bullying, social media, and violence. It does not seem that driving falls into that category as often as it should. Turning 16 and getting your license is not a free pass to hit the road and throw caution to the wind. More than any privilege we carry with us throughout our entire life, driving needs to be taken with the utmost seriousness. Would I feel this way had I not experienced the horrible accident on New Years Even 2020? I’m not sure but I suppose the only positive result of that tragedy is I understand the gravity and responsibility of driving. I live that example each time I sit behind the wheel. I’m not afraid to remind my friends to put on their seatbelts or slow down. I drive with an abundance of caution because I know the ramifications and never want anyone else to experience what I went through.