CRASH...Go Boom!

Okay, well, one week ago today (last Thursday, Jan 15th) I was involved in an accident while on my way into work, and the most humiliating thing is that it happened 300 feet from my driveway! Right in the middle of the neighborhood. Yay! In short, I failed to yield properly (I checked Left and then Right, but it was more like glance-and-go), and went through the intersection and the other driver was coming up the hill and going over the speed limit (estimated doing 40 mph in a 25 mph zone), we didn't see each other, and she T-boned me in the passenger side. I had my baby with me, strapped into her car seat in the middle of the back seat, so she was fine. My passenger side curtain airgbags deployed, but not the front or driver's side, so thank goodness I had my seatbelt on because that was the only thing that pulled me back and prevented my head from going through my driver's side window. All I remember is suddenly thinking, "Why am I going this way, I'm going to hit that house, I better stop." Once I stopped, I heard Alyssa screaming in the back and realized I couldn't breathe because my seatbelt had done it's job and had me pulled back tightly to the seat. Once I checked on Lyss, I kept looking in my rear-view mirrors for the other driver to get out, and she never did. I called Brandon and told him to come outside quick, not telling him what was wrong, then called 911. Once I got back to the other car, which was now facing down the street, my heart sank as I saw the driver slumped over onto the passenger seat. I tried the doors and couldn't get in (the front of her car is crushed), and all of her front airbags had deployed which is what had knocked her unconscious because she didn't have her seatbelt on. Brandon was able to get to her from the passenger side and supported her head until the EMTs arrived. Long story short, she came to, but was incoherent and couldn't understand what we were saying to her. The ambulance got there, along with at least 6 or 7 responding officers, and half of the neighborhood. Yes, I know the girl, her mother lives in the Cul-de-Sac behind me and is in my ward at church. Yay, again!!

Alas, the moral of the story is, PUT YOUR SEATBELTS ON BEFORE YOU PULL OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY!!! They think maybe she was putting her seatbelt on as she accelerated up the road and that's why she didn't see me. In truth, I honestly did not see her car at all. The sun was just peaking through a crevise in the mountains and the glare could have impared my sight, I really don't know or remember. All I know is that if I wouldn't have had my seatbelt on; if I would have just been putting it on at the time of the crash, I wouldn't have walked away from the accident.

Everyone turned out fine. They had Brandon take me and Alyssa to the hospital to be checked out, and the other driver was at the same hospital. We all received a clean bill of health and were released. We were just a little sore in the neck, back and ribs for a few days. Both of our cars were totaled, which means I'm looking for a new one. Bless my parents' heart, they are letting me use their Highlander until we figure out what to do. Their lease is up on it in July, so we may just buy it out at that point unless we find some other deal before then. I'm just so thankful, and blessed, that what could have been a terrible tragedy turned out okay. Again I say, WEAR YOUR SEATBELTS! You never know when you will be involved in an accident, I certainly didn't think it would happen two houses away from mine!

Anyway, have a great week everyone!