My very first by Danielle

My very first by Danielle - February 2017 Scholarship Essay

On March 19th 2016, my mother asked me to go to the pharmacy to pick up my father's prescription from the CVS adjacent to our addition. After picking up the prescription, I got in the car and headed for home; however, traffic on the cross-street from the pharmacy was heavy, so I could not easily join the main street. I could have used a longer route which would have meant me avoid turning left into on-coming traffic. After sitting at the turn for about ten to fifteen minutes some cars stopped to allow me to join and turn left. Unbeknown to me, an impatient driver had crossed into the other lane and was heading my way. This resulted in a collision, I had just received my driver’s license and been driving alone for only a couple of weeks. At that moment all I could think was did I just hurt someone? Did I just destroy my mother's car? Am I going to be banned from driving?

The other party in the accident seeing I was a young person started acting hostile towards me, yelling and blaming me for this accident. However some strangers who were witnesses to the incident came to my aid and called the police. This was my very first encounter with the police and all. I felt powerless and kept crying. I immediately called my mother who arrived at the scene in no time with my younger sister. Statements and insurance information were exchanged, and the other driver was cited for the accident.

At this point I was feeling distraught and could not even comprehend what was going on. Knowing that my father had just suffered a serious broken leg from playing soccer which was tasking my mother's stress levels, I asked myself was there anything I could have done differently? What lessons can I learn from this incident? What could I have done differently to have avoided this accident altogether.

After all the interviews with the police and insurance agents throughout the following weeks, I realized I had to stop feeling sorry for myself ,start taking responsibility for my actions, and be stronger to set an example for my younger sister who looks up to me.

Although I may have been in the right, taking the longer, more safer route will prevent a catastrophic event from happening to me. So I decided to apply the safety rules and advice from my instructor to always be cautious when driving. Since I am a role model for my sister, I decided to sit her down and advise her on the dos and don’ts of driving. I have been able to share my experience with my friends in school, advising and encouraging them to stop the use of cellphones while driving. And also shared with them, a safety tip my father taught me; that is to perform a “360” inspection of the car before taking off. I have learned not to take anything for granted, but to be alert and aware. My friends and cousins noticing this change in my after this accident have been inspired to adopt some of my ways.