Don’t let this drive be your last

Those scary accidents could very well be your last drive because nothing in life is promised; including another day. I remember, very vividly, the worst accident I was ever involved in. Although it was not my fault, it damaged me more than it did the other driver. It was a beautiful day with no precipitation and no fog. I was heading home from picking up my daughter after work; we were singing and joking and smiling together. I’ve always been a cautious driver but unfortunately accidents still happen. I was approaching the intersection and realized I had a green light; which meant I had the right-of-way. As I got in the middle of the intersection, the lady turned at last minute. I had no time to react, no way of using any defensive driving skills and no way of knowing it was going to happen. The collision was so hard that it caused my car to go into another lane facing on-coming traffic. All of the airbags deployed and I was trying to get my daughter out before she ingested too much of it. My car ended up being completely totaled on scene.

Driving education is very important in various ways. The most important reason is that it can keep you safe and alive. However, as I stated before, accidents do happen and they can cause fatalities. My grandparents always taught me to always be aware of my surroundings; constantly check the rear view mirror, check your side mirrors and check your blind spots. This puts you in control of you and your vehicle. There are many people out there who drive erratically and do not pay attention to their surroundings. Be wary and listen for certain sounds; sirens, horns honking, etc.. I say this because if you know what is going on before it happens, you can prepare yourself. My state is a “Move-Over or Slow-Down” law state; this means when a police car, ambulance or fire truck is accelerating with their sirens and lights on or they are on the shoulder of the road, you either have to move over or slow down. This is why I mentioned listening for certain sounds; you can better prepare for what may or may not be ahead of you.

Each driver can take multiple steps to be a better driver. I, myself, have a checklist of what I do before moving my vehicle. First, I check my mirrors and windows to make sure I can properly see and check my blind spots. Second, I buckle up and make sure to put my phone in my mount; I do this so that I am hands free. I go ahead and make sure my Bluetooth is properly functioning and my music is on; which limits my distractions. I place everything I will need such as wallet and something to drink within reach. I crank up the vehicle and drive staying aware of my surroundings and alert during the ride.