Passenger Intuition

It was a rainy October morning, and I was running late for school. I got my backpack and headed for the truck that my dad drove. I opened the left-back passenger seat as I always did so I could take my seat. As I opened the door I noticed there were stacks of papers and folders in the seat. I was a little surprised as my seat was always empty but it wasn’t a problem so I began to move the items. As I picked up a folder I heard a little voice in my head say “sit on the other side.” I didn’t normally sit on the other side but that voice sounded concerned so my intuition told me to just leave the papers and go ahead and sit down.

As I sat down I put on my seatbelt and reminded my dad and brother, who were also in the truck, to buckle up. They are known to not put on their seat belts so I kept nagging them to do so. My dad started driving away but I insisted he put on his seat belt and he finally did. Finally, when everyone was buckled up we began to drive away.

The day was so dark as there was intense rain and thunder. My dad was driving slowly on our street trying to get to the main road. He did what any safe driver does, had his vehicle come to a complete stop before turning onto the main road. As I said, it was pitch black but we could see the headlights of the cars. So once the headlights dimmed or became unrecognizable my dad began to turn slowly. As we began to turn onto the main road I remember looking down onto my lap and then turning to my side window, nothing could have prepared me for what I felt next.

Suddenly a truck hit our vehicle and it sent us spinning three times counterclockwise. I had hit my head against the window but that was all the physical damage done. As I looked to my left I saw an indent in the left passenger side, where I usually sat. There were sharp edges and broken glass. If I had sat there, in my usual spot, I would have surely been hurt. With all that happened, I began to wonder what may have happened if I didn’t let my intuition take over. Fate would have been a lot different.

Looking back at this event I begin to think about weather-related crashes and their effect. Upon further research on the U.S Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), 21% of the average 5,891,000 vehicle crashes each year are weather-related. That is still over a million crashes related to weather events each year. Of that percentage, around 16% will result in fatalities while 19% will result in injuries. Those averages were calculated over ten years from 2007 – 2016. That was around 5 years ago so the average is expected to rise. With these rising numbers, one is left wondering how this can be prevented.

One of the most effective ways to combat this issue is simply by staying off the roads. If rain, snow, or any other weather-related items cause wet pavement it increases the likelihood of crashing. Unfortunately staying off the roads is not always possible as work, school, or other obligations may not permit it so there are a few key items to keep in mind when driving in these conditions. One item is to keep your windshields clear at all costs. If there is any debris in the way that impairs driving or heavy rainfall that makes roads impossible to navigate it is in the best interest to stay home. But if unable to, keeping the windshield wipers on and steady can help minimize damage.

Another important tip is to always drive with your headlights on in these conditions. Not driving with headlights will make it difficult for your car to be seen. If your car is not visible with its lights it increases the likelihood of a crash. Having your headlights on is very important in weather-related conditions but as an extra precaution having the emergency lights on is effective as well. Having emergency lights on can make other drivers alert that what is ahead may be dangerous or just let people know that you are not at your best driving abilities and steer clear. These items can ensure safe driving in these conditions.

Crashes are inevitable but having the correct knowledge that addresses these issues and prevents future crashes is important. Sticking to your driver’s intuition is great but staying up to date with driving practices is equally important. Nonetheless, if you feel it is unsafe to drive stick to your intuition cause it could save you just like it saved me.