A Second Could Change Everything

A Second Could Change Everything

Teagan Merritt, a Thurston High School junior and a wrestler, was committed to Treasure Valley Community College for wrestling. She placed at the Oregon state tournament her freshman and sophomore year, and was looking to become a 3x state placer her junior year. She also loves horseback riding.

On November 15th 2025 at around 1 pm, a month before her high-school wrestling season started, Teagan and her friend were driving back to her house from a bonfire. Teagan’s friend was legally stopped with her indicator light on to make a left turn onto Teagan’s driveway. The large pickup truck behind them, going way over the speed limit, was not paying attention. Teagan’s friend honked, and attempted to pull over to the right of the road as the truck slammed into their car and sent them 20 yards forward and into a creek.

An estimated 36,640 people died in motor vehicle traffic crashes in the United States in 2025, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The accident sent Teagan into critical condition and pulseless for 2 minutes and 8 seconds. She went into cardiac arrest, was revived with CPR, and spent a week in a coma. Teagan suffered a traumatic brain injury, a damaged spleen, a ruptured eardrum, a carotid artery clot, and multiple fractures: a shattered jaw, broken ribs, fractured scapula, as well as 10+ broken bones and damage to three different major organs. This accident caused Teagan’s parents to be unsure if she will be able to ride horses or wrestle again, or even participate in normal teenage activities. 

Thankfully, Teagan is now doing well and has gotten back into horseback riding.

I am sharing Teagan’s story because I believe it needs to be heard. However, it is not just Teagan’s story but also millions around the world whose families and them have been personally affected by careless drivers. I now understand the grave importance of safe driving: had the driver of the truck merely had his eyes on the road everything could have been mitigated. Teagan’s family deserves their story to be heard: whatever lack of attentiveness the truck driver had had jeopardized Teagan and her future and has caused her family severe tribulation. 

As a wrestler myself, Teagan’s story allows me to empathize extremely deeply with her. I cannot imagine how Teagan felt knowing her freedom and physical ability was stripped from her and the long road of recovery she had to fight through to regain her normal condition. Wrestling teaches athletes to persevere through adversity, to push through pain, and to never give up. However, there are some challenges that no amount of hard work can prevent. A careless decision of someone else can change another person's life and those around them in an instant. Before the crash, Teagan's life revolved around training, competing, and preparing for her future as both a collegiate wrestler and horseback rider. Like many student-athletes, she invested countless hours into improving her skills and pursuing her dreams but in a matter of seconds, those dreams were potentially shattered.

Every person who gets behind the wheel is entrusted with the safety of countless others. A driver's decisions do not affect only themselves but also passengers, families, pedestrians, cyclists, and every other person sharing the road. Speeding, distracted driving, or failing to pay attention may seem like small mistakes at the moment, but they can have irreversible consequences. Teagan's crash shows me that even when someone is driving responsibly, another driver's negligence can change a life forever. 

Safe driving is not simply about avoiding tickets or following laws but also recognizing the tremendous responsibility that comes with operating a vehicle. Sitting in the driver’s seat is not a right, it is a privilege. And driving is not a privilege to be taken lightly or abused. When driving, making sure to always keep your eyes on the road, never ever drive after drinking, and abide by the speed limit can help us ensure that another family never has to experience the same heartbreak.

Driver’s education is extremely important in reducing the number of deaths as a result of driving. Because there are certain qualifications and courses needed to pass, drivers are able to understand the safety precautions that are necessary to be taken in order to sit in the driver’s seat. The hassle to pass Driver’s Education makes it difficult enough to obtain a driver’s license and thus allows the driver to think more carefully about getting it revoked. Because driver’s education also requires a certain capacity to pass, it ensures that the person sitting behind the wheel has the mental capacity to drive.

To reduce the number of deaths related to driving, we must all accept the responsibilities of being a driver. The first step is to acknowledge the great power we have behind the wheel. Additionally, I believe we need to set a lower tolerance for minor infractions. A first time offender has a greater chance of making the same mistake again, and we will never know until it is too late.

Although thankfully I have only been in minor accidents, I have witnessed my family and friends texting and driving, not turning on their blinkers, or speeding. To help others become safer on the road, I will make sure to always remind others to put their phone away when I catch my friends or family texting, and I will remind new drivers of the dangers of the road. When my friend was driving home last night, I told her that safety is more important than anything and to not speed, especially at night. To personally be a better and safer driver, I will make sure to never speed, always keep my eyes on the road, and remember that I have other people’s lives to be responsible for.

It is better to be safe than sorry, as it could be the life of you or someone you love at the hands of a careless driver, or someone else’s life at your hands.

A second could change everything.