We were stopped at a stop light on our way to the grocery store when we heard a crash and were jerked forward in our seats. We had been hit by a distracted driver. I was five years old and going through a phase where I would unbuckle my seat belt while we were driving because it made me feel rebellious and independent. It all happened in slow motion. I rolled out of my booster seat and smacked my head against the seat in front of me. My sister in the seat beside me was buckled unlike me, but was still jolted forward and hit her head on the seat in front of her. My mom banged her head on the steering wheel in front of her and hit her knees against the dashboard. Our car was sandwiched between the car that hit us and the car in front of us, and the car in front of us was sandwiched between our car and the car in front of them. We got out of the car in shock and waited on the grass by the sidewalk for the police to come, while my mom was driven to the hospital because of her neck. My dad arrived at the crash scene to sort things out and as my sister and I waited, an elderly couple that had been in the car in front of us offered us popsicles they had just bought from the store, and a runner that passed by stopped to play tag with us to keep us entertained and to keep our minds off the accident. My sister, my dad, and I went to the hospital to check on my mom. She was okay and the rest of us were too, but to this day she still has chronic neck pain from the accident.
This experience has taught me so much about the importance of driving safely and the severity of accidents so you don’t harm others or yourself. Our family was lucky that we only got hit at a stop light and that nobody was severely injured. If that distracted driver had gone into the intersection that would’ve been a different story for him. People should be more conscious and aware of their surroundings when driving to prevent distracted driving and car crashes. I have carried this lesson with me since my experience and have been motivated to be a safe driver and follow the rules of the road since I got my license. I have prioritized not being on my phone while driving and when I notice a friend or a family member doing so, I offer to help them with what they need to ensure they are being aware of the road. I have also found it very useful to use Siri when driving rather than being on my phone so I can keep both my hands on the steering wheel and my eyes on the road. If everyone could be more aware when driving and take extra caution to stay off their phones, there would be a decrease in car crashes and deaths.
I have also learned the importance of wearing a seatbelt from this experience. After being launched out of my booster seat from not wearing a seatbelt, I hit my face on the metal bars under the seat in front of me and chipped a tooth. Luckily, it was just a baby tooth and a new adult tooth has grown in since then, but the lesson has stayed with me. Seatbelts really can protect you and save lives. I know many people who rarely put on a seatbelt because they are too lazy or do not believe they do anything, but they do. It is so important that people wear their seatbelts while driving to protect themselves and always be prepared for whatever comes their way.
Ever since my driver’s education course when I was first getting my license, I have been motivated to be an attentive driver to stay safe on the roads. The course shows many tragic videos of families affected by distracted drivers and losing loved ones. After watching these videos I never wanted to be someone who would risk the lives of others because they were not paying attention. New drivers must take driver’s education more seriously to be safe drivers on the road and reduce the amount of driving-related deaths that have been increasing. My driver’s education course put into perspective the reality of driving and the impact it can have on other people or ourselves if we are not careful. All drivers have a responsibility the moment they start the car and put it into gear to be a cautious and mindful driver, aware of those they share the road with. If we can all make a stronger effort to have increased awareness on the road and reduce distracted driving, we can make a difference and save lives.