in the blink of an eye

In the blink of an eye my beloved 2007 Toyota RAV 4 was totaled. In the blink of an eye I was suddenly in the middle of the road. In the blink of an eye my best friend and I were crying. In a blink of an eye I had t-boned a car. In the blink of an eye I had crashed my car. This was, no doubt, the scariest moment of my young life and definitely could’ve been avoided if I had just paid a little more attention.

The incident that I had mentioned, while having occurred months ago, drastically changed my driving career. Everytime I get behind the wheel I can still hear the sound of metal on metal and feel the front of my car being crushed. However, this is not something I have let hinder me from driving, yet I have faced this dreadful experience with fortitude and learned from it. Let me be clear. This accident did not happen because I was on my phone or because I was under the influence or because I just simply was not paying any attention. The reason why this event occurred was because I did not look both ways long enough before crossing the intersection, and thus, could have most certainly been avoided. At the end of the day, it is these seemingly simple routine mannerisms that could save lives. Yet, the only way these mannerisms ,such as : looking both ways quickly, breaking fast on a yellow, backing out, etc, become routine is by practicing and getting proper drivers education. Now I know how difficult it can be to attend drivers education and get practice in, however it is vital when learning to drive and avoiding accidents caused by silly mistakes, like mine. Accidents really do happen in a blink of an eye and the harsh reality is that so does death. Unfortunately, 38,000 US citizens die in car accidents each year. That is 38,000 families who lost a loved one in a second. It is up to us, the drivers of America, to help reduce this statistic and not become one ourselves. When one is properly educated on the rules of the road they significantly decrease their chances of getting into an accident which in turn reduces the probability of death. When we attend proper courses we learn how to be safe,sufficient, smart drivers and when we apply this knowledge to actually driving we all do our part in helping to maintain secure roads all the while lowering the accident rate.

When you are properly versed in the knowledge driving school bestows you are already taking proper steps in becoming a safer driver. As I mentioned, being properly educated can reduce the mortality rates of accidents but there are more ways as well. Driving school does teach all of these seemingly no brainer rules, however it is simple mistakes that lead to accidents, so I will reiterate and provide a helpful reminder. Driving only when sober and in a clear headspace will help you be more cognizant of the task and help you be a safer driver. Making sure you share the lane with bikers and motorcyclists, reporting any dangerous driving, not going on your phone, or anywhere near it for that matter, while behind the wheel, keeping both hands on the wheel, and not doing anything to particularly distracting will all help you stay focused on driving and are good things to practice that will aid in your journey to being a stand-up driver! It is so easy to offer up these helpful tips, however it is imprudent that we, that I, take our own advice. I still definitely have room to grow and a long journey to being a well-rounded driver, yet in the months of commuting after my accident I have gained a better knowledge of where I must improve. I can be a better and safer driver by taking my time and slowing down. I do not mean speed wise, yet being a texas girl I am accustomed to our ridiculously high speeds and I suppose that could use work as well, but completion wise. Leaving way earlier than I need will help me to maintain a certain thoroughness. Along with not allowing my mind to wander too far, maintaining focus, not driving past the states mandated minor curfew, and not doing tasks that would cause me to remove my hand(s) from the steering wheel are all things I could do, will do, that will allow me to be a safe driver and keep others safe.

Everytime we get behind the wheel we are at risk. However, this does not have to be a scary thing. This should be a motivating factor that encourages us to be properly educated on the rules of the road and drive our best not only for the sake of our selves, but for the sake of others because remember, an accident can happen in the blink of an eye.