Wake Up

After an exciting visit to D.C to visit my relatives, it was time for the road trip back home. As usual, my parents talked for two more hours after saying goodbye for the first time, so we didn’t get on the road until around 11p.m. Despite it being so late, my grandmother had snuck my siblings and I some candy, so we were all incredibly hyper due to the sugar rush. To pass the time on the six hour long car ride we all decided to play MarioKart on our DSi’s. We were screaming and trash-talking, having our own little party in the back of the minivan. Looking back, it was no wonder my parents made us have “quiet time” after only a couple of games. I suppose hearing high-pitched shrieking at one in the morning wasn’t their ideal way to kill time.

Much to my parents’ relief, after a few moments of silence the sugar rush had finally worn off. One by one my siblings nodded off. I, however, was still upset that we had to stop playing. So in my nine-year-old mind, the best way to protest without getting in trouble was to stay up for as long as possible. With nothing to do and no one to talk to, I gazed into the foggy road. There were very few cars, so no annoyingly bright headlights or loud sounds of traffic. The road was smooth; it felt as though we were gliding to our destination. The radio was turned so low I could hardly make out the song. My eyelids started to feel like a hundred pounds, then two hundred. I couldn’t fight sleep anymore. Fine, parents:1, Kayla:0.

Slowly, the smooth gliding started to feel like rocking. Then the rocking turned into violent jerks. My eyes flew open at the unexpected movement. We were swerving in between lanes! I looked to find that all of my siblings were still asleep. I leaned forward and called out to my mom in the passenger seat. No reply. I peered into the rearview mirror. To my horror, my father’s hands were still on the steering wheel, but his eyes were closed. Before I could get another word out, a huge semi-truck appeared out of the darkness. We were heading straight for it. I was paralyzed with fear. We were now driving on a bridge over a river who knows how deep. I knew that if the impact of the truck did not kill us, the fall would definitely finish the job.

A loud honk erupted from the semi-truck instantly woke everyone else up. My father swerved the car to safety, just missing the semi-truck by a sliver. Just then, the flashing blue and red lights of a police car lit up our terrified faces. My dad pulled over and the officer explained to us that we were driving too sporadically. After he gave us the ticket, we all sat there quietly trying to process what had just happened. We then drove to a rest stop and took a nap. Except for me. I was still so frightened by the situation. Even now, I have a fear of driving over bridges.

No one should have to experience this. This situation could have turned out tremendously worse than it did. In order to prevent drowsy driving, drivers need to be educated on the facts. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 2017 drowsy driving led to at least 91,000 crashes, resulting in roughly 50,000 injuries and 800 deaths. Why did these accidents happen? It is because the drivers thought they could “push through” the tiredness. They think to themselves, “I don’t need to stop, I just need to make it to my destination”. This kind of thinking is selfish. This kind of thinking kills.

Along with knowing the facts, drivers must recognize the signs of drowsiness and take the appropriate steps and precautions to ensure their safety as well as everyone else on the road. The number one way to prevent drowsy driving is to get enough sleep. If you can barely keep your eyes open before you get into the car, it is unwise to begin driving. Ensure that you don’t take any medications before getting behind the wheel that would cause you to become drowsy. And from my experience, if going on a long road trip, have another person there to swap out with you when you need a break, or at least take a rest stop every 2 hours.

When it comes to driving, ignorance is not bliss. Educating yourself on the facts can save thousands of lives. Driver’s education exists for a reason: to give driver’s the information they need to know in order for them to get to their destination as safely and effectively as possible. Listen to this information not only for yourself, but for the people around you. It is never worth it to take the risks. One minute your eyes open and the next they are closed for good.