In late June, I was on my way home from catching up with a friend who was off to college in the coming months. We grabbed some coffee and sat down to talk about life. Having a car accident was not on my mind at all and definitely not in my plan for the day. On my way home from the coffee shop, it was lightly raining but enough to get the roads fully wet. As I entered my neighborhood and began driving to my house, a truck began moving fully into my side of the road. I first thought, “Maybe he is pulling over to do some yard work or something at the neighborhood pool.” His car looked like a work-related truck. As he continued to approach me, I began to tap on the brakes, and I realized he was not stopping. He was still moving toward me. At this point, I laid on my brakes, and tried to catch myself right before our cars would meet, but the wet road made it difficult for the car to stop as quickly. I did, however, stop only for him to keep moving. We then collided head on as he rolled into me. I remember feeling shocked at how this could happen to me. I knew an accident could be a reality someday and the thought scared me, but my neighborhood seemed like such an improbable place for an accident to happen. I was luckily only moving about 15 mph, but I did not want to picture what could have been the case if I was moving any faster. I stayed calmer than I thought I would have but have had waves of fear flashed through my mind. The following day I was very sore around my neck and shoulders, which was a painful reminder of what had happened the day before.
Now, my little sister is beginning to learn to drive. The thought of her on the road makes me more nervous than me being on the road. Thankfully, she did really well in Driver’s Education. In Florida, where I live, it is a required course to get your learner’s permit. I remember when I first took the course and began asking questions as I was learning the rules of the road and how much it helped me understand how traffic works. It caused me to pay better attention to the roads. I truly believe it will have the same effect on her and anyone who takes the course seriously.
The reality is, though, many drivers are still careless regardless of what they have learned or the experience they have. So many accidents could have been prevented by paying more attention to the road. Being aware of your surroundings is so important. Running a red light, speeding, texting and driving are all decisions that people make that can have terrible consequences. What's upsetting is that many accidents do not have to happen. People often make choices choosing themselves over the safety of others. When you put car accidents into perspective, it makes something like having road rage a ridiculous reason for driving aggressively. I always try to consider the consequences of my driving choices. For example, if I am running late to practice, I have the choice to try and kick it through a yellow light or slow down and stop and wait for the light to change green. If I decided to hit the gas, the light could turn red and then traffic is suddenly moving, and I get involved in an accident. At this point, it was not worth running the light because there is more harm done than good. I’ve possibly injured others and myself, my car is damaged, and I am late to practice. It’s better just to do the safe and responsible thing and slow down and stop.
Becoming aware of bad driving habits and trying to break them is something any safe driver should do. Personally, I need to become better at scanning for potential hazards on the road and learn how to react quickly and safely if necessary. While there was not much more I could have done in my situation, I now know that I am not exempt from accidents that are in what I considered a “safe zone” on the road. I also know that the driving experience that comes with time will continue to help me build my skill on the road. But even then, I must not be overconfident and continue to be a safe driver for the rest of the years I stay on the road.