In the Driver’s Seat

In the Driver’s Seat

By Leah Tellez

Driver education is an essential factor in reducing the number of deaths as a result of driving. An estimated 4.4 million people required medical attention, while about 38,800 died in car accidents in 2019. The number one cause of car accidents is distracted driving, followed by intoxicated driving, speeding, and driving improperly in the rain. Last year I was in a pretty bad accident where I could have very likely died due to two of the four most common causes of car accidents. It had been raining heavily for the past few days, and I was driving too fast in my small Smart car as I was late for work. I hit a puddle on the highway, which brought my car into a tailspin. I could remember my mom having told me in situations like this to take my foot off the gas, do not press the brake, and hold on. I crashed into the center divide. My false memories of the accident tell me that I spun, hit the divide with my passenger side, and tipped over. The damage on my car says I spun, hit my driver’s side, and rolled. I remember seeing other vehicles’ lights as I was whipped around and just praying that I didn’t hit someone. All I could do when I finally had stopped was scream. I was shaking, terrified. Two men were nearly immediately at the side of my car, calling out and helped me crawl out from the now doorless passenger side. I was able to find my glasses and one of the men found my phone. I refused the ambulance, but my brother took me to the Emergency Department (where I also work). In the end, I walked away with diffuse bruising and a concussion that resulted in a headache for three months and difficulty concentrating. All light hurt. I would hold my hands over my eyes with a blanket over my head, blinds drawn, and coverings thumbtacked over the windows, but my head still hurt. I had to drop out of classes that semester, and even when I thought I was okay, I was not back to my usual self. I now drive at or under the speed limit, use a now standard sized car with all-wheel tires, and am unable to drive my car in the rain or heavy winds.

I was lucky; my cousin passed away in a somewhat similar accident a few months ago and left her young daughter an orphan. Another cousin of mine passed away before I was born after driving intoxicated. The families of both have never recovered from their loss. I could have died that night because of my recklessness. The only thing that saved me was the lessons ingrained in me from my mother. Educate friends and family on the dangers of speeding; everyone believes that they are immune, but no one is. It was such a simple rule that would have prevented my accident. Do not speed, especially in the rain.