As an assignment for the driver's education course I took before obtaining a driver's license, the class had to research irresponsible driving and write as many negatives as they could think about why they should not drive when they could not drive. This lesson, as well as many others I learned through driver's ed, have stuck with me and made me the driver I am today. Driver education is crucial in reducing the number of deaths caused by driving because it teaches responsibility, awareness, and the severe consequences of reckless behavior. Others need to understand that all it takes is one mistake.
It was Memorial Day weekend in 2014, and my grandparents threw their annual party, bringing all the cousins together for a night. Well into the party, after drinking excessively, Dennis and Uncle David went for a drive to catch air as Dennis had done several times before that evening. For context, my grandparents live out in rural Sterling so far out that the town still doesn’t have a stoplight to this very day. There is little chance of even driving by anyone else for miles. Another car was not the problem that night, they were. On the way back to the party, Dennis and David were attempting to catch air. For those who are unaware, it is driving incredibly fast on the hilly roads so all four wheels leave the road. To their credit, they did so successfully. Unbeknownst to them, their success that night would spell the death of my cousin and a lifetime of pain for my uncle.
My Uncle David is no stranger to car accidents. I don’t know whether he is the luckiest man alive or one of the most luckless I have ever met. This particular crash, though, makes me lean toward luck. Dennis and David were going over 100 miles per hour when they caught air one final time. In doing so, both men hit their heads so hard on the roof of the car that they were rendered unconscious. The car sped uncontrolled across a field, coming to rest only when the driver's side of the car slammed into a tree. Dennis died on impact after taking the brunt of the collision. Seeing as both men were not wearing seatbelts, my Uncle David was ejected from the vehicle. He flew over 110 feet, over a four-by-four pickup truck, a wood splitter, a woodpile, and several trees before hitting the ground. As bizarre as this sounds, it is all the truth. The state troopers arrived on the scene, they believed my Uncle David to be dead, as he remained motionless on the ground. Upon finding Dennis dead in the car, they again walked past my uncle, only to notice he was moving.
While further examining the wreck, they found Dennis’ phone and called his father, who was still at the party with the rest of the family. My cousin Dennis was known for playing around a lot. So when the state trooper called his father, he just thought it was Dennis playing a prank on them and said, “Stop playing, Dennis. I know it’s you.” It wasn’t Dennis, it would never be him again. They informed his father that my cousin was, in fact, dead. There is no magical way to undo that night but if it was possible I’m sure his father would have done anything to bring his son back. He can't.
As for my Uncle David, by some miracle, he survived. He sustained multiple internal injuries and was flown to Upstate University Medical Center. I previously called him lucky because after a brief stay in the hospital, he was able to go home. He suffered no debilitating injuries and is still able to walk, talk, and take care of himself.
Dennis’ family was so distraught over the death of their son that they blamed Uncle David and asked him why he didn’t do more to control their son. Uncle David did, in fact, tell Dennis to slow down many times. Dennis’ intoxicated state prevented him from thinking rationally. This accident caused tremendous physical, mental, and emotional damage to the entire family. To this day, Dennis’ mother holds on to her son in every way she can. Her profile photo on Facebook is a picture of Dennis she took at that family reunion because it was the last time she saw her son alive.
Only being seven years old at the time, Dennis’ death is the first I remember. He left behind his fiancée, Tina, her son Corbyn, his family, and his future over a drunken accident that should have never happened.
This tragedy serves as a reminder of how dangerous irresponsible driving can be. Driver education plays a crucial role in preventing such incidents by reinforcing the importance of making safe choices behind the wheel. Steps can be taken to reduce the number of driving related deaths, such as enforcing stricter DUI laws, increasing public awareness, and promoting the use of seatbelts. I have personally seen how reckless driving can destroy lives, and I know the responsibility that comes with being behind the wheel. To become a better and safer driver, I will continue to follow traffic laws, avoid distractions, and encourage others to do the same. Through education and responsibility, we can all help make the roads safer and prevent tragedies like Dennis’ from happening again. I know not to drive irresponsibly because all it took was one mistake.