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Hi, I'm Gabi. I'm originally from Florida, but I moved to New York to further my education in Criminal Justice. I want to get more into short story, creative writing. I hope to connect my writing with others who face similar situations and emotions.
Drive like it Means Something
Apr 15, 2020 4 years agoI can still feel the impact to this day. I looked up and saw everything was compacted together, like forcing two random puzzle pieces to fit. My forehead was bruised from hitting the steering wheel, and smoke started to rise from my engine. Why didn't I put my phone down? Was changing the music that important? I couldn't wait three minutes for the next song to come on, or ask my friend in the passenger seat to change it for me? Each year a family loses a loved one to distracted driving. Unfortunately, when we send that text, change our music, or watch that short video, we put ourselves and everyone around us at risk. Regrettably, I was one of those people who decided driving safely wasn't of importance, but hearing my favorite song was. I left softball practice with my friend, Annie, and was heading home for dinner. I was sixteen and had my license for about ten months. It was a sunny day and I was in the mood for some tunes, so I picked up my phone and turned on the music. However, when I didn't like what was playing, I would take my eyes off the road for two seconds to change the song. Those two seconds is what it takes to crash. Those two seconds that you take away from driving cautiously is what it takes to kill someone. I hit the car in front of me doing 60 miles per hour. For some reason the airbags didn't deploy, but the whole front of my car was smashed like a loaf of bread. I didn't realize how delicate cars were. I didn't realize how delicate human life is. I froze. I didn't know what to do. I started crying and stepped out of the car. I was so worried about what my parents were going to do to me. I kept thinking my parents are going to kill me. Why didn't I think about the safety of the confused, old man who stepped out of his car? I regret not thinking about him first. I regret not thinking about my best friend who sat in the passenger seat. I regret looking at my phone. The old man was kind and considerate even though he was the one who was rear-ended. He told me it would be okay and to turn off the car. He didn't even call the police; he just told me to call my dad and tell him what happened. Not everyone can have the same luck as me. I was immature and lacked every type of responsibility to take fault for my actions. Now each time I get into a car I have to wonder if this is the last time I'll see my family again. My story speaks to every teenager who takes on the road, because why was I scared of what happens to me when I was at fault? Why am I not scared what happens to the old man who now has agonizing back pain? Or to my friend who's scared to sit in the front seat of any car? I didn't drive for months after that. I didn't want to make the same mistakes as before. After realizing this situation isn't about me, this is about those who drive around me, I decided to turn my phone off every time I drive. If we can regret any moment in our lives, then that moment is not worth reliving. No one wants to relive a car accident, especially when it's caused by distracted driving. I can't take the risk to damage lives. Neither should anyone else.
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