A Split Second, A Saving Grace

Monday mornings.  Wake up, coffee, kids dressed, snack for camp packed, dogs fed, load the car, lock up, we’re off.

Driving peacefully down the road, my cell phone is out of reach.  “How much longer until we get to art camp, Mom?”  says my oldest.   “We’re almost there,” I reply.

A split second later, a black truck is right in front of me in the middle of a busy intersection in Springfield.  I hit his driver side, his truck flips four times and comes to a stop halfway down the block; our car crashes into the traffic light.

Shock and terror fill the car.  I am afraid to turn around to see my kids who are screaming “real” screams, not sibling rivalry stuff.   Thank God!  They appear to be okay.  My dog who was in the passenger seat is on the floor trembling.

Is this really happening to us?

I immediately get the kids out of the car to the sidewalk where there are concerned neighbors and strangers rushing to our side to help.  Two women (Debbie and Marie) rush to help console my kids, and a man is reaching in to help the dog.  The driver of the black truck has walked over to me. Thank God again, he appears to be okay!

My protective nature takes over, and I am replaying the scene in my head.  I was driving through a green light: how did this happen?  His truck came out of nowhere. I am angry.  But, I quickly look again at my kids and back at the car, I immediately calm down….my kids will be okay.  Clearly we were all protected during this crash.

I am grateful.

The police, paramedics and concerned strangers are doing all they can to help us.

Two cars totaled, no one is critically injured, and thankfully we didn’t collide with any other cars or people in the area.   The other driver was ticketed for disobeying a traffic signal; he apologizes profusely to my kids and to me saying he must have been “in a daze.”

I feel faint at the thought of how terribly different this crash scene would be if he had hit us first, his truck would have hit directly into the passenger side where my kids were seated. A split second made all of the difference.

We’re working through the whiplash, sore muscles, twinges, medical and insurance claims, etc. and just so relieved that all in all, we only lost our car.

Certainly this week is going to be better than last.

You can be assured I will be a paranoid driver for awhile.  I wish you all SAFE travels whether it’s to work, school, camp, or anywhere.

Even now, especially now, I can hear my mom telling me, watch out for the other guy…she speaks the truth.