The Stroke of Luck that Led to Responsibility

   I will start off by being forward: I could be a better driver. Couldn't we all be? However, I have learned some of my hardest lessons behind the wheel. They changed my life, and made me realize that all that stands between you and the end of your story is a stroke of luck. I stand here today because I happened to get lucky, and learned my lesson. I will preface with some information: I got my driver's license shortly before my 19th birthday. In the state I spent my teen years in, it is common to get your license at 16. I was teased mercilessly for not having it by the adults around me, however, I am very glad I waited until I was ready for that responsibility. I took my skills test too soon, and barely passed. I am embarrassed to admit that, but here we are. Just 9 months ago, I was cocky; I thought I knew everything. The reason I pursed it so speedily was that I needed to get my license to drive myself to school, which knowing more about what was to come, seems trivial. Three weeks after I got my driver's license, my life changed. 

My brother finds night drives calming, and I volunteered to take him on a drive. We drove around the city about thirty minutes away from where we lived, and had a grand old time. We saw lights, billboards, walked around a park after dark, and got ice cream. Then, we headed back to our house. Driving was an escape for both of us; life was difficult for my brother, and I had pulled a prank that almost got me kicked out of my Certified Nursing Assistant classes, but I digress. We were both sad, and being at home made it far worse. So we drove; dozens of miles every few days of those three weeks. But this week was different. I was headed home on the highway, and sped up getting off a curved exit. I never took physics, and thus was unaware of what that would do. If you know anything about driving, physics, or both, you are likely clenching your jaw. As you can tell, I am still alive, and I can confirm my brother is as well, so no lives were lost. I went up on what I now know is called a Jersey Barrier. Our MDX teetered on the top of the barrier. My little brother told me to turn the wheel right, and I listened to him. I barely avoided hitting a tree when I turned sharply right. I could have flipped the car. I could have killed my little brother. I made a grievous mistake. I messed up, and badly at that. I was responsible. It was the first big mistake I had made that was completely and totally MY fault. Thankfully, it was two a.m. and no one was around, so it was a single car accident, and my brother and I walked away with only a mild concussion each. I didn't seek medical intervention, and my brother was encouraged to just rest by the doctor. I called my parents, and limped our MDX home. I had ripped the bottom off of it, but it saved our lives.

I tell this story for a reason: to give a potent and real example of why all drivers need to be educated, and need to seek that education out. I know that humans tend to connect things better if there is a story, and so I have shared mine. I got my license less than a month after starting to drive on the road, versus parking lots. I skimmed the drivers manual. I didn't take it seriously; and my family paid the price. Our car (Bessie) needed thousands of dollars of repairs. My parents had to pay using money that was a gift for them from their parents. My brother couldn't watch tv for 5 days. I had headaches for over a month. Shame was what I felt. The triumph of acquiring my license was gone. I wished with everything in me that I had paid more attention, had let my parents teach me more, had done SOMETHING to keep this from happening. But it did. Nothing could erase that. However, the future is always in flux. Everything we do has a consequence. My unwillingness to learn and take my safety and my brother's seriously had led to this event. However, the future can be modified. It doesn't mean I won't ever get in an accident, as I have experienced as well. Even when you do everything right, a deer can still jump out in front of you, even when you are on alert for them, even when you are paying attention, and going the speed limit. However, mitigating risks is a very possible thing. I vowed to learn, and so I did. I took a defensive driving class, I read the Driver's Manual properly, and most importantly, sat down and told my parents that I needed more information, and needed to be taught. I took my safety and knowledge into my hands. Safety is always a choice; like buckling your seat belt, using your turn signal, and doing the speed limit, and less than that if there is a weather condition. Knowledge is also a choice, and it is one that takes time and effort. They say knowledge is power, which is a bit of a cliche, but is true in this circumstance. It was the power to know what I was doing. Self awareness is one of the major keys to success in life, and I personally invested in that.

I am no saint, or perfect driver; I still make mistakes, misjudge things, go the speed limit, which the people in my current state seem to find objectionable. Perhaps that is why you can trust my advice when I say this: your education, safety, and self awareness, in driving and in life, fall squarely on you. The state you are in tests you and issues you the license, but just because you passed doesn't mean you're done, are invincible, or can just forget that you learned. This is a lifetime commitment, as long as you have your license or learners permit. We need to be adults, and realize that we are responsible for ourselves, and the people around us. It doesn't matter if they give the same basic respect; just because someone throws their trash in the street doesn't mean you should. Many things are out of your control, but you know what isn't? Yourself, your car, and the safety of your passengers. People tend to like to be in control, so why don't they like it while driving? The age-old question is one that we cannot know, except for ourselves. So I implore you, be safe, learn, grow, and watch out for Jersey Barriers.