An Accident Waiting to Happen

Richard Schulz –

Teenagers are always at high risk to be involved in accidents, but who knew I’d crash into a statistic.

Just another summer day hanging out with friends turned into to the worst. A car spun out of control. Three lives changed in seconds.

I was hanging out with two friends that day. Nick Young and Jordan Rineer, but we all called Jordan, Gordo.

My friend Gordo sums the accident as “life threatening” and “scary as hell.”

I agree.

We decided to play some basketball since it was such a nice day out. I had a video from before we left my house. Gordo had stepped on my skateboard and sent a Skittle from the opposite side into the air. He caught it in his mouth.

Who knew such happy guys would have the carpet pulled out from underneath them? Not me. Not Nick. Not Gordo. No one knew. But if I could I would take it back instantly.

Driving on the back roads of Conestoga, an accident was waiting to happen.

Literally.

Roads that turn sharper than ninety degree angles and have loose rocks that laid over them like a blanket.

As most teens do, I was speeding. Not to the point where my car was about to take off, but fast enough to lose control. I was making the turn and hit rocks that made my turns slide. My rear tires went over a grate leaving my front wheels on the actual road.

My dad always said,”When you lose control of your car, cut the wheel in the direction you’re sliding.” How I remembered that in the moment? I have no idea.

According to Gordo we were heading directly toward a tree but I was able to turn the wheel and only hit it with the front passenger side of my car. Guess all my luck didn’t run out.

The car and the tree made contact while the air bag made contact with my face, but I was in shock. We all were.We looked at each other wide-eyed and scared beyond belief.

I asked my friends if they were alright but Nick just pointed out that my face had been bleeding. Great, more things to add to my wonderful day. Exiting my car I felt fine, minus the thought of what my parents would do to me, but after a couple more steps I fell to the dirt. A wall of pain and light headedness hit me almost harder than the air bag. Almost. I looked at my car and at myself. It was like my car and I were having a competition to see which looked worse. We tied.

I had multiple lacerations and burns on my arms and face. To this day I don’t know why my wrist was bleeding or how it was injured. The seat belt had tore open my chest a little also. Who knew the “safety belt” would end up hurting me in the process.

My friends injuries, on the other hand, were less serious. Nick had stubbed his toe while Rineer sat on his lower region.

Though we joke about the accident and the things that had happened, I’m grateful. Not for my safety but for theirs. The remorse I have still haunts me and my friends are aware. To this day I apologize to the both of them for endangering their lives. I’m glad that after the incident I can call them friends. Still hanging out, having good times, sharing stories and continuing on with our lives. Except me.

Ok, I don’t let it keep me from living my life, but I always think to myself, “Their lives could be gone. Their families could be devastated. All because of me.”

That’s not the case though. They’re here and we are still friends, like it should be.