All It Takes Is One Second

Only a few people can understand the guilt I am carrying at this moment. Just an hour ago I had done something that I deeply regret. Even though some time has passed, I still feel the tears forming in my eyes. And every few minutes I notice my arms covered with goosebumps serving as a constant reminder of what I’ve done. After every few sentences I type, I have to pick up tissues to wipe my face clean. Thinking back to the exact moment again I can remember how terrified I was.

Nothing would’ve prepared me for the drastic changes that were about to happen only in a matter of seconds. Every time I drove I was constantly reminded that it takes just one second to change someone’s life for the worse.

After spending an enjoyable day with my friends at the mall I was in a positive mood. Therefore, I decided to drop my friend off at her home. The drive to their house was ordinary like my other trips to the store. Once I dropped them off, I returned back home safely. Checking my mirrors, turning on my blinkers when necessary, stopping at all the stop signs. I followed all of the rules and arrived back to my house. I pulled into the driveway since that is where I usually park but stopped and decided to park inside the garage for today. I have done it before, so I figured I could do it again. This was about to be my biggest mistake I have ever made.

I was in the correct spot and decided to park. So I pressed the brakes to stop the car. The car sped up instantly and crashed into the wall in front of me. Wait, what did I just do…? Before I could even react, I saw wood chunks flying apart into every direction. I had just destroyed the interior wall of the garage. The door was bent slightly with many of the wood pieces scrapped off. The water tap was smashed in with cracks all around it. The car was still turned on with the front still against the wall. I was in complete shock trying to process what I had just done. Why did I do that? I thought I pressed the brakes? What am I supposed to do now? While processing these events my body started to shake violently. I had to understand that I was the one who just crashed into my house. The more that I stood there, the more terrified I became to the point where my heart wanted to burst out of my chest to escape and run away from this incident. My family came down to see the wreckage that occurred. They started questioning me about everything that happened. But all I could do was just stand there in my own guilt, shame, and sorrow. I wanted to tell them how deeply sorry I was and how frustrated I was with myself. Not a single word left my mouth.

This accident served as a tough lesson to remind me that I always remain alert and humble while driving. It taught me that I should not take risks unless I am 100% confident in my abilities. And in this case, I should have stuck with parking in the driveway instead of the garage. I now truly understand the importance of safety while driving. It doesn’t matter if I’ve had my drivers license for months since I realize now that it doesn’t automatically mean I am a professional. It requires more experience, a sharp mind, and a calm attitude.

I was told that this could have easily ended much worse and I was grateful it did not. However, it occurred to me that there are other teens out there who have the same mindset I used to have. With nothing to hold them back, they may feel overconfident and that puts their safety at risk. Once we pass the driving test, many people believe they are experts. However, driving is not a one time achievement, it is a lifelong commitment to safety. When you are behind the wheel, you are in control of what happens to yourself and possibly others. Even in the comfort of your own home, you aren’t truly safe in the car. I hope that other teens can avoid experiences similar to mine and learn that prioritizing a humble and alert mind is crucial to their safety. One thing I want other teen drivers to take away from this story would be to remember that anything can occur within a second and that even the simplest mistakes can have a heavy cost.

Despite this event being a setback, I have to use it to my advantage to move forward. By carrying the lessons I’ve learned from this experience I will use it to stay focused on my goals for the future. I have realized that I cannot let the guilt hold me back. Instead, I have to use this moment to take responsibility and make careful, wiser decisions going forward, especially as a teen driver.