A Second Can Kill

A Second Can Kill

“Love
you! See you after your college visit Monday!” These would be the
last ten words I would ever speak to my loving friend Kt Kincaid, two
days before she was involved in a fatal car accident a couple weeks
ago.

As
my friends and I sat in class that morning, we patiently waited in
our seats, checking our phones to see if Kt had responded to our
latest text. We bombarded her phone with questions about her UK
college visit, but little did we know, these text messages would
never get a response. Kt and her dad were rear-ended that morning,
and shortly after pulling over to exchange information, a distracted
semi-truck driver crashed into both cars, leaving Kt unconscious in
the rubble. She was flown to the hospital in critical condition, and
here I was oblivious, sitting in my class, wondering why she wasn’t
responding to us. We went the rest of the school day going
unanswered, assuming she just wasn’t on her phone. As I walked into
my 7th bell class, I heard the head of our high school over the
announcement system, explaining he had something to tell us. Holding
pieces of glass for my art project, I listened intently, wondering
what he could possibly be needing to announce to the entire school in
the middle of class. As he began talking, I heard the words: Kt, car
accident, life-support, pray. The pieces of glass dropped to the
ground, slipping through my shaking fingers. I went numb. My face
became soaked with tears, my hand grasping over my shocked and gaping
mouth. The hallways were chillingly silent, only filled with the
faint cries of teenagers weeping inside their classrooms. These sobs
became louder and louder, as more and more doors to rooms began
opening, the devastated array of kids pouring out. I was drowning in
the tears and cries of myself and others. So much pain was caused by
one little mistake.

Though I could talk about the impact this event had on me and my
peers for pages, I hope anyone reading can take away this: a second
can kill. One glance, one head turn, one blink can be just as deadly
as a gun. We never think it will happen to us, but it can, and more
people need to realize the potential repercussions of distractions.
One distraction cost someone their daughter, cost me my friend. I can
torment my brain with what if questions in this situation, but one
answer always solves the problem: If that semi truck driver would
have been paying closer attention, my friend would still be alive. Kt
will never get to graduate with us this May. She will never get to
experience college. She will never, she will never, she will never.
It is extremely crucial to be fully focused when you are driving, as
well as being aware of the consequences of distractions. It just
takes a second.