Name: Zara Wong
From: Richmond, British Columbia
Votes: 0
Zara
Wong
In the Driver’s
Seat
On a typical shift as a student radiographer, I went to work with no
knowledge of what was going to happen that will change my life
forever. I work at a trauma hospital where lots of motor vehicle
accident (MVA) patients come in for medical help. Two teen drivers
came in on this late evening, both intoxicated, with glass and sharps
in their scalps and upper bodies. Both came in with lots of complain
and tears, faces filled with fear. As the physician was checking for
extend of injuries, tenderness were found in several parts of the
bodies. The patients were asking for their parents. Physician was
investigating injuries with the ultra-sound machine. Nurses were
noting vital signs, providing assist. Social worker was contacting
family members. ECG technicians are on standby. Radiographer was on
stand by for chest and pelvis x-ray. I was in the middle of the
chaos, shocked and frozen. I could only imagine how it was during the
accident, how the drivers felt; the helplessness, the shock, the
pain, the unknown.
I had the
opportunity to follow the CT technologist to observe how imaging was
done with trauma cases. So I did. In the process, I found out the
two teens are in the same car. They are best friends. The driver was
going at normal speed when another high speed vehicle crashed into
them at an interaction. The shock caused the teen patient to throw up
in the CT scanner. The regret, the fear, and the suffering filled the
air. I thought to myself, I will never allow this to happen to
anyone I love, including myself.
Since the
experience, I asked myself how I can prevent this from happening. In
fact, in the course of my career I have and heard of countless cases
of pedestrian struck accidents and motor vehicle accidents. I wonder
how many of them are preventable. Eventually, I come up with the
conclusion that all we can do is to try our best to prevent these
situations.
It is important
to take good care of the driver him/herself as well as their
passengers for safety reasons. Everyone in the car is responsible for
one another’s safety. The driver has the most power since he/she is
the operator of the vehicle. As a young driver myself, I am
responsible for the state of consciousness when I am driving, that
includes no drinking/ smoking marijuana and driving, as well as being
rested before driving. All the previous three examples can impair
making the right decisions, even if that means just following traffic
rules, when driving.
I believe that
there are a few things to check before entering your vehicle in the
driver’s seat. First of all, make sure you will not be drinking and
smoking marijuana in the event you are heading to. Secondly, be sure
you will not be distracted when driving, that includes very playing
very loud music, being on your cell phone, or have heated arguments
during the time you are driving, etc. Thirdly, do not drive after
taking any medication that causes drowsiness. On that note, if one
has to drive after a long hour work shift or being sleepy when
driving, take a nap in your car in a safe location.
To become a
better and safer driver, I believe that has to start with compassion
and consideration to others. I believe that if we can put ourselves
in these MVA victims’ and their family members’ and friends’
shoes, we will be much safer drivers. The long mental and physical
recovery time of these victims remind me of the responsibility I have
on the road. Nobody wants to cause irreversible pain and injuries in
themselves and others. Please think twice before entering the
driver’s seat.
