Twelve years ago, my life was changed forever because of someone else’s careless and negligent actions. On August 29, 2005, my Aunt Julie was hit by a car and killed. She was hit by a 20 year old man. My aunt’s car was at the shop for repairs, so she was taking a walk in the meantime. While driving, the man took his eye off the road for a second to change the CD in his car. Even though it was just one second, he took someone else’s life.
There is no excuse for distracting yourself while driving, whether it was only for a split second or not. The man who hit my aunt suffered no consequences, but left my mother, grandparents, uncle, and the rest of my family still suffering to this day. I was only four when this accident occured, and now I only have pictures to serve as a memory of my Aunt Julie because I was too young to remember clear memories. I have vague images of her in my head, but the chance of me being able to have my aunt in my life has been ripped away from me because of one man’s actions. My mother lost her sister, and my sisters and I lost someone who would have served as an important role model. My whole family is still in pain from this tragic accident.
I have learned many things from this horrible event. The first thing I have learned is to never take anything or anyone for granted, and always appreciate what you have in your life. Someone’s life can be taken at any moment and out of nowhere, so it is extremely important to remember how important the people in your life are. You should spend quality time with those you care about, tell them you love them every day. From this tragedy I try not to sweat the small stuff, to have more patience and to not get upset over things that I can not control. Life is too short.
Another very important thing I took away from this is to never drive while distracted. I recently began driving, and it has changed my perspective greatly. I have realized how important it is to never take your eyes off the road, no matter what the reason may be. Also, it has made me a much more cautious and careful driver. I take a few extra seconds when the light turns green before I drive, making sure cars do not run the light. I am extra careful to always be watching my surroundings. I also try to limit the number of passengers I have in my car while driving. I never go on my cell phone to answer a text ever.
This tragic event has in part shaped who I am as a person and a driver. I hope to share my family’s story with my friends and others in order to help them understand the importance of not driving while distracted. Hopefully, this will save another family from suffering the kind of loss my family has endured.
