Name: Tess HestonFrom: Livonia, MichiganVotes: 0Itwas a dark and icy morning driving to school. My friend was ridingshotgun and my sister was in the backseat. We were quietly talkingabout our homework above the soft noise of the radio and I began tobreak as the red light approached. But my car didn’t slow down. Myheart stopped when I realized what was happening. The car wasn’tstopping, my friend was screaming at me to hit the breaks, butnothing was changing.
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In a last wish of hope, I reach for theemergency break, but it’s too late. We hit the stopped car in frontof us.Thatmorning forever changed how I see driving and act on the road.Standing on the side of the road with everyone okay and the police onthe phone, I stared at the highway that was lit up like a Christmastree. There was so many emergency vehicles down there and I thankedeverything I could think of that our cars didn’t break the rail.Later,in the safety of my school, I thought of every possible action Icould have changed to prevent such a crash. I was already going 10mph under the speed limit after the warning of my father.
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Welcome to the Transportation Department for Churchill County School District. Our goal is to get students to and from school in the safest, most effective means possible. This is a large undertaking as we transport over 1,200 students to and from school each day. High school students that live within the city limits walk to school.
Did I needto go slower to prevent hitting the black ice? The obvious answer isyes. Car accidents are the number one killer of teenagers andeducating them on the importance of safe driving is a must.Fartoo many accidents happen because drivers are distracted. One studentgot hit in my high school parking lot caused by the rowdy celebrationof Spring Break.
Texting has long been attacked for being adistraction as well it should be, but it isn’t the onlydistraction. Having too many passengers are definitely a distractionas teenagers can be a handful when in a group. Also, high schoolersoften drive to and from school sleep deprived causing drivers to fallasleep at the wheel.
I have heard many stories of classmates pullingoff into a parking lot to take a nap before driving because it wouldbe too dangerous to continue. So educating drivers on the importanceof leaving the driver alone when driving or getting enough sleepwould both be big steps to prevent future accidents.Onein five drivers get in an accident in their first year of driving.Being one of those high schoolers and knowing many others, I alwaysfear that one winter morning, one of my classmates won’t make it.The morning I got in my accident, three other students also wreckedtheir cars and so many more had frighteningly close calls. I have tobelieve that everyone became better drivers afterwards becausenothing seems to be a better wake up call than getting close tosomething terrible.
Every accident can be prevented, it just takesawareness and control. We're holding a scholarship contest, and the winners each get $500. The topic deals with the dangers of driving. There have been some really touching submissions from students who really opened up about the tragic consequences they have suffered as a result of being involved in a collision that could have easily been avoided. Please do take the time to read them and pass them along.
We really do believe reading these heartfelt essays can save lives. Thank you all that have contributed and opened up about such personal experiences.
We know your sharing story will make a difference in the lives of others. Please view these great submissions below.Each day we will be highlighting one of these stories. We hope you can spread their heartfelt messages along.
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March 2023
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