Buckle Up, Buttercup

I thought that when my brother got his driver's license he was the coolest person in the world. He had a silver Toyota corolla that he saved and saved to buy. He loved that car. Then, on Christmas eve in 2017, he totaled it. With me in the passenger seat. It cracked my sternum, broke two ribs and jammed all my fingers. They pulled me out of the shattered windshield after slicing off my seatbelt. The seatbelt that saved my life. I later spent 2 days in the hospital, one of those days was Christmas.  But lets back up, what caused this accident to occur, and what could have prevented it?

 On the police report, the cause of the accident is listed as failure to stop. And that's exactly what it was. It had snowed the morning of the accident but in true Idaho fashion, it all melted. The skies were clear and blue and the road was wet with a wicked glare coming off of it. It being Christmas eve, there was an unusually long traffic jam. According to my brother, he just didn't see the other car and he wasn't expecting to have to stop. And he didn't. He stacked that silver corolla into a red highlander going 55 mph. That car had 2 babies in it, but thankfully neither of them was hurt. If you ask my brother what he could have done to prevent that accident he always says turn down the music and wear sunglasses to decrease the glare. He was taught these skills in his drivers education course.

When I was in drivers ed, I told this story to my instructor and he says that my brother is right. He should have turned down the music and worn some sunglasses. He knew what he had to do. That's why comprehensive drivers ed for new drivers is so important, so that not only do they have the skills to recognize what they need to do to prevent accidents but to be able to have those resources available. Like keeping sunglasses in the car and always keeping your phone away from you. 

I got lucky in that accident. So many other people don’t. Drivers education can help teach our new drivers the tools they need to be safe drivers, so that they can have the freedom that comes with having a car and a license, without the guilt of taking a life. As my mom always says, Buckle up Buttercup.