To the Distracted Driver Who Ran Me Off The Road

It has been a few days now since the crash that nearly changed my life forever.

I sit here, bruised and bumpy with a few cracked ribs, thinking about how our story could have had a different ending.

We were perfect strangers until this day, and I never thought that our encounter would happen.

It was sudden, and mere moments could have changed the outcome for us in either direction.

I didn’t see you in time. You were like a bullet coming toward me, leaving no chance to escape its destination.

I wish I could have used my Mommy “super powers” I am always telling my daughters I possess.

I wish I could have lifted my car out of the way of your distraction… but I could not.

In the split seconds it took for you to run that stop sign as you sped through those streets, my life flashed before me.

The sound of your car blasting into me was a sound like no other.

It almost had its own smell and color.

The world went orange, as I spun around, jumping a sidewalk into a yard, stopping before hitting the house and missing that telephone pole by a mere inch.

I could have died that day… had it been seconds more, you could have too.

“Why did you run the stop sign?!” I yelled in frantic tears.

“I’m sorry,” you cried “I didn’t see it.”

It was then that I went from HATING you to feeling total empathy.

You were hurt too, and you were crying and well. You were young enough to have been my son.

“Are you ok?” my trembling voice muttered with care. “Yes, I think so, are you?” was your response so I replied “I think so, too”.

I had just dropped my daughter at school and the little one just happened to stay home with her dad this day, so I was alone.

Thank you God, I was alone.

I turned to look at my car on the sidewalk, shaking and in total awe.

I opened up the back door and hugged the car seat where my little one would have been. It was the side that was hit.

I cried, loud breathless cries… she was safe and sound and for that I am truly blessed.

I am not sure what activity made you not aware of the road this morning.

I couldn’t say with certainty that you were texting, but I knew for sure that you were in a rush and you were distracted.

Something other than driving was on your agenda during your trip through our streets.

To anyone reading this; You have a responsibility to you and all you share the roads with.

You are not alone when you send that text, you are not alone when you speed without care, you are not alone when you drink that drink… you are not alone.

You are surrounded by others, you are surrounded by their families, children, husbands, wives, and friends.

You are surrounded by your own circle of love also. So, please, let’s stop the distracted driving.

Nothing is worth it.

Related post: Slow Down, Asshole!