I-696

I only had my license for a month. It was Superbowl Sunday 2022, February 13th, at 12:22 p.m., and I was on my way to softball practice. I was driving on 696, which, if you are from the Detroit area, is one of the most dangerous highways. I thought I was getting the hang of driving on it; there was no need to take the back roads. If I want to be a successful driver, I have to learn the highways, right?

At 11:50 a.m., snow started to fall—fast and hard. There was no snow earlier, so the fact that a total whiteout happened in minutes was not expected. Since I mainly learned to drive during the past summer, I had not driven in super-icy conditions before. I decided I would just follow the car in front of me; there was no need to pull over; I could handle it. Until the car in front of me drove itself into a wall. I looked back over to see what the car could have been avoiding when I saw it. Twenty maybe more cars all sideways colliding with each other and spinning out, some driving up onto the hill next to the highway or stuck in the ditch front end first. I panicked; I did not know what to do. I went left towards the highway wall and tried to pull off to the side to avoid hitting someone. Suddenly, a dark van hit and was heading in my direction. In order to stop, I had no choice but to hit it. As I made contact, my airbag went off, going straight into my head. In that moment, it felt like I was hit so hard that I was outside of my body. When I looked up after managing to pull over, there was blood everywhere. Luckily, I pulled down my mirror and realized it was all just from my nose. I sat there trying to call my dad, but my phone was covered in blood and I couldn’t type. Then a police officer, whose card I still had, pulled open my broken door and pulled me out of my car. He looked me in the eyes, asking if I was okay, and all I could do was nod and look around me at the mass chaos.

Cars were everywhere. Three tow trucks, a fire truck, and two ambulances have already arrived. There was a news reporter taking interviews on the hill next to the highway. All the sounds, smells, and bursting pain in my nose suddenly arrived, and I could not stop crying. I had been in a pile.

Since that day, I have had to take a long break from driving on highways. I still get nervous and pull over often when it starts to snow too hard when I am driving. However, I did realize many things from this moment.

One, I am not weak or a bad driver if I do not take the highway starting out. The adrenaline rush and thrill of getting your license can be such an exciting time that you want to prove to yourself that you can do everything. You feel this inner need to be as independent as possible, and taking the riskier route is simply training yourself to be an independent adult. Wrong. Plenty of people still do not take the highways because they are so dangerous. It is smart to build up to taking a riskier route. Driving on it with your parents first or taking a short highway detour on a few smaller routes might be helpful. Even when you get your license, you are still learning. You do not know everything about driving until you actually experience it on the road.

Two, learn to drive in all conditions. I had never navigated snow before this moment on my own. I did not understand four-wheel drive or which way to turn my wheel when I was sliding. In that moment, panic took over, and thankfully I managed to pull over and only hit one car in the process, but in reality, I should have pulled over sooner. Now, my dad has taken me to parking lots after big snowstorms to practice driving on the ice, and now I know how to turn my wheel, break, and stay calm if I hit an icy patch. Practicing different hazards while you can is the key to maintaining control of your car while driving, and taking the time to do this does not make you a slow learner or a terrible driver. If anything, it builds your confidence on the road, not from the arrogance of independence but rather from knowing that you are trained in how to handle dangerous situations.

I think one of the causes of car accidents, at least in adolescents, is the natural confidence that comes with having a piece of independence. The rush and thrill of being able to go wherever you want take over, and suddenly you feel like you can drive and go anywhere. What many new students fail to realize is that even when you have your license, you are still learning. Some driving experiences and skills can only be learned by actually being behind the wheel, which is perfectly fine; this does not set you back from your peers, make you seem less cool, or ruin your dreams of being a racecar driver. Driving is a skill that takes time and experience to learn. Be patient with yourself and others as you get more comfortable behind the wheel.

For the next generation of drivers, take the time to learn and be confident in your driving abilities, to always be on the defensive side behind the wheel, and to practice safe driving to keep yourself and others safe.