Pay Attention

About 5 years ago, a close friend almost died. She was driving home when another person, not paying attention, drove across the median and t-boned her car. She was pinned in her car with 4 other people in the car. Thankfully, no one died but, my friend still deals with the physical effects from that night. She lost memories and had to relearn walk. She struggled in school when before she didn’t. It changed her life.

More than 10 years ago, my best friend was hit by car while she was riding her bike. She was only 11 years old. Since then, she has had to deal with PTSD and self-esteem issues due to massive scarring on her shoulder, back, and feet. She is one of my favorite people and it saddens me that she could’ve died that day. She was in her neighborhood and wasn’t wearing a helmet. It’s a miracle she survived but it has impacted her whole life.

I myself have been in a couple accidents. None of them have truly risked my life but all of them have scared me and given me a sore body. One of them were my fault, I wasn’t paying attention and I was at a red light. I thought it turned green and started going but hit the bumper of the car in front of me. That was my first accident when I was driving. I felt so bad and scared. I was in a state of shock for a couple of hours. The last one I was in was a bit rougher. I was in a fender-bender while slowing down while driving up the on-ramp to merge with traffic on the highway. That accident didn’t hurt my car too much, but it left me sore and in pain for about a week or two. My head was turned when I got hit and with whiplash, my neck got screwed up. Took about half a year of massages and chiropractic appointments for the pain to stop.

Since those accidents, I have driven more cautiously following speed limits and being wary of my surroundings. I still have had close calls since then with other cars but also with wildlife like deer, elk, and caribou.

In driver’s education, we went over being cautious, sweep our eyes across the road and shoulders and to be on the lookout for anything that can pop up or come too close. When we see and recognize signs on the road, we can be able to take proper steps to be as safe as possible. Such as stop signs, yield, deer or cow crossing, train crossing. I also learned to anticipate traffic, to know if there are any accidents or roadblocks in my way to my destination. This way I can be calm and not make rash decisions that could help me or others. In driver’s ed, we also learn to keep between 2-5 car lengths between your car and the car in front of you while driving. This way we have time and distance to come to a complete stop safely and not having to slam on the breaks.

I think that every other year or so, drivers need to retake the test portion, so our brains remember rules and laws applicable to their state. It gives us the practice and repetition we need to remember and memorize the rules of the road. I’ve almost been in an accident because a driver did not know how to drive in a roundabout. I think that people should be taught to not drive when in withdrawal from medications or drugs or receiving new medications. I accidently hit the bumper of a car due to accidental withdrawal from anti-depressants and not paying attention. I thought our light was green, so I took my foot off the brake and bumped into the car in front of me. I felt so horrible. Nobody was hurt but it frazzled me so much.

I’ve become a better driver since these incidences with family, friends, and myself. I try to be more cautious and diligent on the road. I look ahead to see if I need to merge or turn. I have more space between my car and the car in front of me. Most of all, I stay calm and patient. I do these things to the best of my ability. I try to leave early and not to drive in a rush. Being in other cars that are not doing these things makes me nervous and uncomfortable. I try to always be a better driver and I recommend others to do the same.