The Day that Forever Changed my Driving

Distracted driving was something I never thought could harm me. I learned about distracted driving in drivers training class. I listened to my parents tell me to not text and drive. And to be aware of all persons on the road. It never occurred to me how distracted driving by other drivers would affect me until June 15, 2020.

After weeks of begging my parents they agreed to let me drive to a friends house two hours away, they finally agreed. It was the beginning of our Senior summer and a weekend getaway was to be the beginning of our epic Senior year, little did we realize how all of our lives would be changed.

We started the two hour drive on the highway, I was driving my friends. We sang along to our playlists, and before we knew it we were about forty-five minutes away from our friend’s house. I complained that I needed to stop somewhere to use the restroom, but my friends, Calista and Jacob, insisted that I waited since we were almost there. I remember as we passed a bright blue Jeep Wrangler. I said to my friends how pretty it was and to take a picture to show my sister, who loved Jeeps. Jacob, who was sitting in the back seat, aimlessly snapped the picture and sent it to my sister. Moments later, the car in front of me stopped to turn left onto a side road. I began to slow down and come to a stop and then—BAM! I remember hearing a loud noise and then everything went black.

As I opened my eyes again, after hitting my head on the steering wheel, I saw smoke all around us and glass shattered on us. I smelled gas and began to panic. Jacob and I jumped out of the car as fast as we could. The passenger’s side was crushed, and Calista could not open her door. She climbed out the drivers side. The beautiful Jeep Wrangler had rear ended me, slamming me into the car in front of me. The woman who hit us said her dogs were fighting in the back, so she turned around to stop them. When she turned back around, she was smashed into us. She never hit the brake and rear ended us going 45MPH. My car was totaled. Thankfully, my friends and I were all okay.

Safe driving has never been more important in my life. I still have flashbacks and panic attacks from that day. I didn’t want to drive after my accident but my parents made me. They wanted me to understand how important it was for me to not only drive again; but also, to be able to drive safely. My friends and I were lucky, we walked away with minimal issues but many are not as lucky. Distracted driving isn’t just about you the driver, but also about every other person behind the wheel.