Name: Kaitlyn Elisabeth Palmateer
From: wake forest, NC
Votes: 0
Drivers
Education
February
15, 2003, a car crashed into a tree on the side of the road at 12:45
am. The driver died roughly 3 hours later in the hospital. She left
two kids, husband, brother, parents, friends, and a new niece, me.
February 24, 2018, a Jeep crashed into a tree just past a street
connection in a neighborhood. There were only three sophomores in the
car who didn’t obtain their licenses yet. The girl in the passenger
seat didn’t wear her seat belt and was ejected out of the car and
was killed on impact. She left behind her sisters, parents,
relatives, teammates, and her friends who went and stayed by her side
till the end. I had known her since 6th grade. A car with a father
and son were rounding a curb on a rainy evening. The father turned
away and looked at his son missing the stop sign and plowing into a
car who had right of way. The car held a mom coming home from work to
her loving husband and two little girls. She didn’t see the car
coming towards her and she was T-boned, the car spun and she slammed
her head into the steering wheel. Giving her the worst concussion
possible, she couldn’t drive, read, walk, or even spell her name.
She had to go to physical therapy every day and brain therapy to get
back to her “normal” self. She still has migraines every day she
will never get rid of. If the accident was worse I would’ve lost my
best friend’s mom, the woman who cares about everyone.
With
the negligence of driving we can cause a real problem for someone
else. Drunk driving, driving distracted, driving at unsafe speeds, or
driving with the intent to hurt someone is not the way to drive.
The
first time I drove my legs shook, my arms were stiff, and my hands
were sweating. My anxiousness increased so much that it would take me
ten minutes to calm down, to even feel like I could breathe again.
Because all I felt was dread that I would be one of the people who
does that to someone.
I
have later relaxed and been able to drive and get my license. But
that doesn’t change if I’m comfortable in the car with certain
people or not. I have gotten on my mom for being on her phone while
driving or looking for stuff while driving. I have made her to the
point of feeling extremely guilty because of how uncomfortable she
makes me. When my friends drive me I tell them to put their phones
away and I’ll do it. Or if they don’t I don’t go with them
anymore.
Driving
is not a game and shouldn’t be taken lightly. This is something
serious that can hurt other people and not just yourself. People take
to guaranteed safety and untouchability, even if it’s not present
when they are driving. Portraying the notion that nothing will happen
to them and that it’s just.
