I left for school much earlier than normal. I figured that with the horrendous weather I would drive super slowly and cautiously because my commute would be twice as long. And I did. That didn't help my car from skidding under me and losing control of my wheel.
I kid you not, I was going maybe 8 miles per hour around a curb that typically is taken at speeds of 25 miles per hour. I made it around the curb safely, but after the curb and onto the straightaway, my wheels refused to turn due to all the snow, and it kept turning- right into a guard rail on the opposite side of the road. Fortunately, no cars were in the other lane.
That guard rail saved my life. I had never really considered the importance of guard rails before, but it embraced my car and even though the rail definitely bent under the weight, it did its job and prevented me from falling into a ditch. If that guard rail hadn't been there, who knows where I would be today. Alive? Disabled?
Kudos to my seat belt too. If I hadn't been wearing it (I always do), the guard rail may not have made a difference. Sure, it would have stopped my car, but would it have prevented me from flying through my front windshield?
So here's my two cents from this experience: Always wear your seat belt. Do not get distracted. Do not drive if you feel as if the weather or the road conditions will affect your driving. And all the other little things. Here's a couple of other driving hints: It's not cool to speed, to text, to not wear your seatbelt, or to make incomplete stops at stop signs and traffic lights. You only put yourself and others at danger, and when accidents like this happen (and they do) you are not going to want the reason to be because you were acting as a careless driver.
My car was damaged. It received a lot less damage than I anticipated, but I had also anticipated arriving to school safely and without accident. Accidents are unplanned. Make sure you have all the coverage you need to cover yourself in case something like this happens to you. If your car gets out of control, there's no telling what it could hit- a guard rail, a tree, a house, another car...
Be safe and cautious while driving. If you would like a free auto quote from us to best fit your needs, click the button below. We'll do the shopping for you. Learn more about auto insurance here.
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