Getting Home Alive Trumps Getting Home Quickly

When
we think of the term “drivers ed”, images of
poorly-animated safety videos and old textbooks flash through our
minds. However, there’s much more to educating drivers. Proper
education should keep new drivers cautious and safe on the roads,
thereby reducing the number of driving incidents.

We
see a lot of videos that promote sober and focused driving, and I
firmly believe promotion of that type should be continued. But, I
think that we need to take things a step further to help reduce
driver deaths. We need more ads with real-life stories about how
driving unsafe in any way can be deadly, whether it comes from
speeding, high-beams left on, tailgating, or any other
under-addressed issue.

I
was on my way home from my final exam of the first semester back in
February. The roads were typical of Canadian winters — a few snowy
patches here and there, but nothing extreme. I had a lot on my mind
that day. Though I wasn’t speeding, I was going faster than I should
have in the road conditions. While on the highway about 12 kilometers
from home, I suddenly felt a strong pull on the right side of my car,
likely due to a patch of slush. I immediately panicked and turned the
steering wheel sharply left and then right, continuously
overcompensating and realizing that I had lost control of the
vehicle. One last jerk of the wheel pulled me off the right side of
the road and down a hill. The last thing that I saw before shutting
my eyes and praying was an electrical pole coming closer and closer
with my car now going 90km/h. After feeling a heavy impact, I lifted
my head to see my vehicle crushed around the pole and the revolting
smell of an airbag overtaking me. Upon further inspection, I found
that my right window was shattered by a mailbox and my face was warm
and wet. The mirror revealed numerous glass shards embedded in my
face, each with deep cuts. All I could do was gasp for air.

I
was lucky enough to have bystanders arrive quickly with EMS close
behind them. I was removed from the vehicle and transported to the
hospital. Initially, I was suspected to have a spinal injury. Much to
the surprise of doctors and myself, it was discovered that I
sustained no injuries besides the cuts to my face. With a few
stitches, I was sent home.

I
consider myself to be incredibly fortunate in this situation. Not
many go through a similar experience and live to tell the tale. I now
wish to share my story with other new drivers to encourage them to
always be cautious while driving and take things slow in
less-than-ideal road conditions — advice that I will now be heeding
myself. Sure, going a bit faster may get you home a few minutes
earlier. But you never know if going a bit faster will keep you from
going home at all.