One Last Ride

When stepping into a car what are the first things you should be thinking? The first of many things you should ask yourself is “am I sober?” In the United States, driving under the influence is the leading cause of crashes. A total of 31% car crashes are a result of driving under the influence of drugs and or alcohol. As you start the drive to your destination you should also consider your speed. Speeding comes in as the second leading cause with a total of 29% of accidents in the US. Though sometimes you may be in a rush, your life and the innocent life of someone else are worth being five minutes late for work or an event. Speed and soberness are only a few of many things you should take into consideration before sitting behind the wheel.

These simple and easy questions you should ask yourself before driving your vehicle are not only for your own individualization. The simple actions you take help keep the lives of others safe. As more people realize the importance of safe driving, the world can become a safer place. With over 46,000 innocent people who lose their lives in a year due to fatal crashes. This number averages out to about 99 fatal crashes per day.

Helping people become educated on safe driving is a topic that hits close to home with me. Six months ago, I received a heart shattering call. Nobody is prepared for a call like I had received that winter day. It was supposed to be a good day. The last day of midterms and having lunch with some of my closest friends. Meanwhile, something tragic had taken place. One of my best friends had been taken from this world. On the morning of January 12^th one of the most perfect souls had been called home. Listening to my friend’s mother tell us both that Jimmy Lemmon had been in a fatal car crash was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. The pain I felt in my body knowing it was too late for any of us to help him. Within that instant everything in the world seemed to freeze. This news seemed completely and utterly intolerable.

In the beginning it all felt unimaginable. You see these kinds of things in movies, on television shows, and even in books but never seem to come across them in your own life. None of It ever truly seems so terrible until you’re the one whose life is being ripped away from them in only a few seconds. The moment I stepped foot into the funeral there was nothing but a huge pit in my stomach that was filled with absolutely nothing. In that room, there was nothing but a cloud of sadness and tears which floated over the room. In this instant, I was able to see all the people mourning the grief of this soul that we had lost. This feeling was something I would never wish upon anyone. After listening to all the shared stories that night, all I could think about was “Why does the person who did this get to go on freely with their life?” While I was walking to my car, the helplessness in my body grew greater and greater. The feeling of knowing not one person or prayer could change what had happened on that cold January morning.

For hours, upon days, which somehow turned into months, the grief was nothing but dark. That darkness never felt like it would get easier. I wanted to pick up the phone to call him about my games or to go on our Dunkin’ Donuts run. He was always my biggest supporter; however, he was the one who truly deserved all the support. We all realized that one too late. That’s how life goes, you never frankly understand what you have until it’s too late. Jimmy was one of those people. I took our friendship for granted because I thought he would always be right by my side.

He was the kindest and funniest person you could ever meet. Jimmy always knew how to light up the room with his smile. The same smile he carried through his baseball career that was taken from him before he could finish it off in his senior season. The life of Jimmy was taken from him way too soon. He was so excited to graduate and pursue his small-town dreams. While he is no longer here to carry out his dreams, I am here doing everything I can to make him proud.

I can with full confidence say that losing Jimmy was the biggest loss I’ve endured during my life. As the months have passed things have seemed to become more bearable. However, I can assure you there is not a singular moment that the pain ever disappears. The life of this angel will live within me for the rest of my time here on this earth.

It’s the losses like this that make the importance of safe driving even bigger. The person who causes the crash is not always the one who ends up suffering. Always think to yourself about all the little things prior to taking your drive. Because if you try to remember after, it might be too late. So always know that could’ve been your last ride.