In the blink of an eye

As I am driving home from work on a Saturday night in my rearview mirror all I see is white lights behind me that keep swerving from left to right. I remember my parents always telling me to stay focused on the road and everything around me so I decided the best thing is probably to exit the freeway. Before I get a chance to exit the car passes me up and quickly cuts me off. While I step on my breaks to avoid hitting the car I see the car lose control and hit the brick wall to our right. It all happens so fast and leaves me rattled. I manage to exit the freeway and get home safely to tell my parents what I just witnessed. Had that driver made better choices maybe he would have gotten home safely like I did. Had I not taken drivers education maybe I would not have reacted to the accident the way I did. I recalled my drivers education course, the lessons my behind-the-wheel instructor gave me and what my family has shared with me to quickly react and exit the freeway without adding to that accident. I never use my phone while driving and make sure to mount my phone on my dash before I head to a destination in the event that I will be using GPS for directions. I make sure that I never answer a call or text while driving and my parents and I have an understanding that if they call me while I'm driving I will return their call once I am safe and off the road. I also like to listen to music while I drive which is why I also make sure to create a playlist for my drive so that I do not have to worry about skipping a song I do not want to hear or having to change the radio station. This may seem a bit excessive but these are some of the things that cause people to shift their focus while driving. I do these things to make sure that while I am driving my hands remain on the steering wheel and focus remains on the road. Had I looked down at my phone or my stereo I could have hit the car in front of me and this story would have a different ending. Although it can take a few minutes to set-up your phone or turn on the radio before you get on the road it takes a blink of an eye for an accident to occur. 
In California we no longer having driver's education course as part of our high school curriculum which means some students might not take a drivers education course or pay for a behind-the-wheel instructor and get all of their driving information from a friend or family member that might not be the best driver. In an attempt to help students make better choices my school does a great job of putting together a live simulation of a DUI accident a few weeks before prom. The event is put together by the local city police and they use actual students from our senior class. They  reenact an accident in front of the juniors and seniors. The presentation is actually a two part event and the following day we host a memorial service for the students who did not make it after the accident. Their family is present for the memorial service adding a layer of emotions and reminding all of us how our decisions not only impact us but our entire community. The mood around the campus is somber as they place a candle on the desk of the students that did not survive the accident. They typically use the more popular students and those that are athletes for the presentation which adds another layer of emotions because they are not the students you would expect to make bad decisions. The presentation is not only emotional but makes a huge impact on the student body. I recall last year most of our senior class ended up getting a driver or renting a bus to get to prom because the presentation made such an impact for them. I can only hope that this presentation takes place in other schools so teenagers can get a glimpse into the outcome of their decisions and what an impact it will have on their loved ones and all those they come in contact with.