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A Terrible Accident
By Hazel Williams-Jann
What an idiot! He went whizzing by us while we were traveling home from midweek prayer service. I commented - though only those in the car with me heard - "let them know we're on our way, that is if you make it". Sometimes I remark "maybe he is bringing the ice for the party" or something ridiculous such as that. It never ceases to amaze me how some drivers never think. We were on State Rte 42, just outside London just beyond the curve at Betty Wilson Road when we suddenly found ourselves in quite a predicament. Our minds were still adjusting to the little red car that had just sped by us at a high rate of speed when we realized the situation we were facing was quite serious. Immediately the driver and myself realized we were approaching a vehicle that was immobile and blocking our lane of traffic. I said; "O! My! We can't get around that!" I was not frightened, I was tremendously concerned that we were in jeopardy of broad-siding an already badly mangled compact car. The car that had just sped around us was blocking our view as well as our thought pattern.
The driver of the Honda in which I was a front seat passenger, is a professional driver who is on the road transporting people to and from appointments as her day job. She seemed so calm. In retrospect I realize she was probably more traumatized than I as she needed to control the situation that looked beyond her control. She brought the Honda to a stop, and we watched a young man as he climbed out the driver's side window of the mangled wreckage in our path. Then to our amazement we watched as a car coming from London plowed right through the mess in the road beside us slinging debris left and right. That car did not stop. I don't know the reason that driver felt they were being lawful by speeding through the wreckage and not waiting to see if help was needed. Isn't it a law or something that if you are first on the scene you are to stop? If it isn't it still is the right thing to do.
My friend got out of the car (she is trained to know how to respond if First Aid is needed). I stayed put knowing walking on uneven ground with a cane would be detrimental to the well-being of my aged knee, and I would only create an obstacle to those who could help. The young man at this time had exited his car and seemed to be disoriented. He sat down at the side of the road and then laid down on the wet grass. There was a blanket in the back of our vehicle which was taken to help keep the man warm. This all was happening so quickly. I was grabbing my cell phone to call 911 but noticed someone was already on their phone. It was then I realized there had to be another vehicle involved in this mess. It was actually behind where we had stopped, in a ditch on the opposite side of the road. I did not see who was in that car, but as I watched the emergency responders I realized the occupant was being cut from the wreckage.
Within a very short period of time, there were teams of workers doing what they are trained to do. The London Fire Department, Central Township, Sheriff and Emergency crews all worked to ease the pain of those in the vehicles as well as gathering information and trying to get a lane of traffic opened. I watched as the young man directly in front of us was checked over, placed on a backboard with a neck brace and taken to an ambulance that transported him somewhere for further care. I watched as chemicals were poured onto the roadway to soak up whatever was spilled. I watched another officer talking with witnesses to try to assess who was at fault. The officers came to our vehicle and asked if everyone was okay. We assured him we were all fine as we, by the grace of God, were able to stop before hitting the car in front of us. How thankful I am for that! Had the driver not been able to stop we would have further injured the young man as he was climbing from his car.
The road was blocked in both directions. We were going no where as we were first on the scene from that side of the accident. Well, I think we were, but there was - just beyond the wreckage - a little red car sitting in the ditch on the opposite side of the road. I wondered if this was the same car that came whizzing past us in the dark.
I suppose we sat at the accident sight for more than half an hour. I commented to my friends how blessed we were that we were only inconvenienced for a short period of time and how all that happened would surely impact others for a longer period of time.
An officer came over again and let us know they were working as quickly as possible to clean a lane. How thoughtful. These public servants are my heroes. What they see, what they have to do, how they respond. Such professional behavior from each of them. In due time after removing some of the debris a deputy walked in front of our vehicle as he helped us maneuver the field of potential problems to keep our vehicle safe. Our ability to see the road was impaired by the bright lights on the emergency vehicles as they were performing their duties. We were the first to get to the scene and the second to leave. The man on the back board was first.
I don't know the condition of the occupants of either car. I can say this, they were each treated with compassion and as quickly as possible by a very caring bunch of men and women. London is blessed to have them. And some are lax in their wishes to give these responders more equipment. I am sure their minds could be changed in an instant if they had been in either one of the demolished cars I saw last night. May God bless our public servants who work in these fields.
By Thomas M. Parsons
As a former driver ed instructor, and as a Christian teacher, I am interested in helping people drive in such a way to reduce the risk of accidents, and, with gas prices where they are, saving gas. Both of these desirable goals, fortunately, are attainable by following the same plan.
There are three simple rules to safe and gas saving driving. They are also the most commonly disobeyed rules by contemporary drivers, to the detriment of themselves and others.
Many drivers seem to be unaware that the law prohibits driving faster than conditions allow and that there are situations in which a driver can be ticketed for driving at the posted speed limit. Weather conditions are one common factor that reduces the legal speed. Rain, snow and sleet all reduce traction and visibility. Fog does not effect traction, but it also reduces visibility. These are conditions in which a driver should slow down.
On a highway, choosing the left lane and staying in it is not a wise idea. The left lane tends to encourage speeding. A wise driver chooses the right lane and stays in it unless there is a need to change lanes to avoid conflict with another vehicle, such as at interchanges, or when approaching a slow-moving truck. The driver should change lanes only for appropriate conditions, and then return to the right lane as soon as possible.
The right lane is the safest lane, and it is also the lane which requires a slower speed which saves gas. The faster a car is driven, the more the miles-per-gallon is reduced. Driving in the right lane reduces your gas consumption, reduces your risk of a speeding ticket and reduces your risk of an accident. Remember: Drive Right!
Even hands-free cell phones have proven to be a distraction. It is not just the fact that it is impossible to keep track of traffic, steer and dial your phone. It is also the mental distraction the conversation itself is.
I often see drivers trying to make left turns while chatting on their cell phones. One-handed left turns are less than safe. Thinking about the conversation makes the whole situation that much more dangerous. Do not use your cell phone while driving.
It is not just cell phones that are distracting. Driving while eating, reading, taking care of kids in the back seat, carrying on a lively conversation with a passenger, all of these cause accidents as well. Driving requires your full attention. Situations around your car are changing second by second. You need to keep up with all that is going on around you. You cannot afford to allow yourself distractions while driving.
Allow at least four seconds of space between your car and the car ahead of you. You can count this four seconds simply by beginning your count when the car ahead of you passes a stationary object (fire plug, utililty pole, crackin the pavement, etc.) and continuing the count (one-thousand-ne, one-thousand-two) until your car passes the same object. You should reach one-thousand-four before your car passes the object. If you reach the object too soon, slow down a little and you will increase your following distance. Someone cuts in and reduces your space? Slow down a little and you will regain your space.
Also try to avoid driving side-by-side with another vehicle. If someone is passing you, ease off the accelerator just a little and let the vehicle pass a little quicker. If you are passing another vehicle, speed up a little to hasten the pass. Of course, if you have to exceed the speed limit to pass a vehicle, then you should not be passing the vehicle.
The most difficult space to control is the one behind your vehicle since it is under the control of the other driver. If you see a car following too closely, you should feel uncomfortable. There are several things you can try to get the car to back off. Slow down slightly (very slightly). This may encourage the other driver to pass you. Tap your brake pedal lightly once or twice. This causes your brake lights to flash, which may encourage the other driver to allow more space. If all else fails, find a safe place to pull over and get out of the bad driver's way. It is safer to have a bad driver in front of you than behind you.
Speed is your greatest enemy, both in reference to your safety and to your gas consumption. Remember, your money, your life, and your testimony for Christ are on the line every time you drive.
Guest writer Hazel Williams-Jann lives in London, Ohio and loves to write. We appreciated this article and asked for her permission to include it here. We hope you enjoy it.
