First Memories

First Memories

Our very first memories are
pretty memorable which is why we still remember them from when we
could barely even speak properly. For me, my first few memories are
memorable, mainly due to the fact that it changed my entire life,
including my family’s. I had just barely turned three in 2006. My
family and I were on a trip to one of the provinces in Cambodia and I
remember us making a stop at a restaurant. Then, we were back on the
road. I was in my grandparent’s car and I only remember seeing my
grandparents and sister with me (keep in mind I was only three so
small details were way ahead of what I could grasp). My parents were
driving in their car with my big brother. The memory then cuts off to
me crying. I don’t know how or what caused it, but I saw my mom
unconscious while my dad was awake. I still remember the expression
on his face. He looked hurt, mad, and stressed. Both were bleeding
badly. Next thing I know, I’m at a hospital with my family. I
remember being in the room where my dad was in, and all the adults
talking. I wasn’t sure if he was conscious or not. However, when we
went to visit my mom’s room, she was awake. I remember not wanting
to go near her, and my mom told me it was because I was scared of her
face due to her injuries. The last part of this memory was when we
were at my dad’s funeral. I was outside our house with my nanny. I
saw a bunch of people standing around my dad’s casket. I was
curious so I told my nanny that I wanted to go see him, but she
refused since its best to not let a three-year-old see her own dead
father. Those were my first memories.

I wish I could see what life was
like if we never went on that family trip or if we went the next day
instead. What if my dad drove a bit slower or a bit faster? What if
the car that hit them never even existed at all? Maybe those things
could’ve saved him from the accident. My mom told me she wasn’t
wearing her seatbelt which caused her injuries to be worse than it
should’ve been. It’s a miracle that she’s still with us.
However, seatbelts are still an essential part when it comes to
driving. It doesn’t matter if you’re the driver or the
passengers, because seatbelts are there to serve their purpose of
protection. Statistics show that they lower the chance of death by
45% because it’s basically a shield that keeps us from flying out
the window. Just by simply buckling up your seatbelts can ultimately
save your life or you from serious injuries if an accident were to
happen. The next thing I should mention is common sense, but it seems
like half the population can’t seem to understand. Keep your eyes
on the road! It sounds easy, but based on my experience, people have
trouble succeeding in this task. A lot of the time, drivers are
getting distracted by their phones. There was an instance when a car
rear-ended my family’s car because the driver was texting. She even
had her young daughter in the back but luckily nobody was hurt
(except the lady’s car). Honestly, if people would listen and do
the right thing, driving would be much safer, the world would be a
whole lot less complicated, and maybe aliens would consider visiting
planet Earth.

Something that can be very
helpful for us is drivers ed. It’s basically driving
school (I don’t think they teach you how to drift like in Fast &
Furious though) and gives students information and knowledge on
everything you need to know about driving. Encountering irresponsible
drivers is inevitable so drivers ed helps you prepare for the
worse. Having one driver who is confident and knows what they’re
doing is better than having two drivers who don’t really know what
exactly to do. Taking driving classes can also influence others
around you to drive safer so drivers ed can make a positive
impact on the road.

Although I’ve never driven a
car in my life, my role as the passenger is still as influential as
the driver. For example, a lot of the time, my sister and I are
looking through memes and laughing at them. This distracts my mom who
also wants to see the meme. We’re all in the wrong in this
situation. My sister and I shouldn’t be distracting our mom from
the road and our mom shouldn’t get distracted so easily. The memes
can wait until we get home. I already lost one parent, so I am not
going to lose the other to the same thing.

Although my past experience and
memories with driving weren’t all too pleasant, that doesn’t mean
I can’t make pleasant ones. It all starts with buckling up, keeping
my memes to myself in the car, and looking out for each other. I
didn’t spend nine months in the womb for a piece of metal to take
me out so let’s all make wise choices.