3 years ago I was in a car accident. This was written 2 years ago but I wanted to share it again. This accident changed my everyday lifestyle. I finally stopped having nightmares every night about 2 months ago. To this day I'm still timid about driving. I drive as close to the bike lane as possible whenever I'm on a 2 way street. Whenever I see head lights coming my way, my heart races a little. My physical injuries are gone but the physiological damage is still there and who knows how much longer it will stay
It was a Saturday night. I just got done spending time with
some of Tyrel's friends at the bowling alley. Fun times, good laughs, over all
good night. That night Ty and I had taken separate cars, Ty went first and I
followed behind. I was sitting in the left turn lane at the corner of 9th
street and Walnut, about to turn left onto Walnut. And then it happened...
(seriously felt like time had slowed down)
My light turned green and I was about to take my foot off
the break pedal getting ready to press on the accelerator, but something didn't
feel right. I saw a car coming up very fast on Walnut, looking like they
weren't going to stop, and sure enough she didn't. She kept on driving right
through the middle of the intersection and then slammed on her breaks. I
continued sitting there wondering what the hell she was doing when she suddenly
turned her car sharply to the right, and her headlights faced mine and she kept
on driving... Instinct kicked in and I grabbed the steering wheel with one
hand, horn on the other and gasped for a breath. Her car hit mine, my neck and
head flung forward. She then put her car in reverse and drove off. Just after
her driving off, I see a police car drive past me as well with the lights
flashing.
Still in shock I continued to sit there. My light was still
green, but I did not move. Seconds went by, minutes, hours (ok not really, but
it sure did feel like it) My mind was racing with questions. Did that really
just happen? Am I dreaming? Should I follow the cop? Do I pull over to the
side? Did that REALLY just happen??! My brain went back to reality and I did a
u turn and pulled off to the side of the road. I checked the damage to my car.
Not bad. Got back in my car and drove to where the cop had pulled the driver
over, which happened to be in a parking lot. The cop came over to make sure I
was ok and informed me the young girl had been drinking and was doing a
sobriety test. Still shaking I call both Ty and mom and they met me at the
scence. In the end you can probably guess how it ended. She was hauled off to
jail and I was able to walk away from the most terrify experience, with minor
damages to my car and no injures (or so I thought)
Little did I know that the next 8 months would be a living
hell. 24 hours later, I felt like I got hit by a truck. Couldn't move my neck
and a headache so bad I could barley think. I was diagnosed with whip lass and
I spent the next 4 months doing therapy, all while trying to move out of an
apartment, and continue my lifestyle at work. Too make things worse, the person
who hit me was fighting the system. She was bailed out of jail, hired an
attorney and pleaded not guilty. They tried to offer money to me, so the
charges could be dropped. They thought I was faking the pain I was in. She felt
she didn't do anything wrong and because no one was seriously hurt, she should
be let off easy. I can tell you now, that did not go well with me at all. I was
not going to let her work the system just because she had money. She needed to
take consequences for her actions. This is a person who drank enough alcohol to
make her blood alcohol level a 0.17, and was stupid enough to get in a car and
drive. And to make things worse, SHE WAS 19 YEARS OLD! I went through 8 months
of showing up to court which finally led to final verdict: a DUII, reckless
driving, and hit and run. Closure finally came to the case and I could feel
better knowing once less stupid person was off the road.
But this of course was just the beginning. Even after
physical therapy was done, I suffered great psychological issues as well. Not
only did I get constant headaches and neck aches, I had increased anxiety
during the day. I had trouble sleeping and had horrible nightmares and happened
on a daily basis. I had a hard time getting behind the wheel and driving,
especially at night and often had to limit myself to driving to places. Things
got easier after time, but after this accident I had to change my whole
lifestyle. And even after one year later, I can still remember that night like
it happened yesterday. It's something I have to live with the rest of life and
has made me more cautious while driving. I am so thankful for my life and for
the fact that not only me but the other driver as well was able to walk away
from this accident. It could have been much worse and I'm sure all of us have
heard stories of similar situations ending in severe injuries or often death.
I'm also very thankful for the sheriff who witnessed it all! Had it not been
for him, she would have kept on driving, putting not only herself, but others
at risk.
I know people hate hearing this, but this is a message that
needs to be spread: Please DO NOT drink and drive. It is not worth the risk of
yours and other peoples lives. No matter the distance you are driving that
night, you should not get into a car and drive after you have been drinking. I
have never drove a car after drinking, and I don't ever plan too. Just don't do
it. I really hope the person who hit me has learned a valuable lesson, and will
hopefully think twice before getting in a car after drinking.
