Yielding

A couple days after I got my license I got into a car accident. I was a new driver and did not know my surroundings as well as I thought I did.

As I was driving down Webster Street in Lewiston, I went to go turn left on to East Ave. I failed to yield at a green light, thinking it was a green arrow, but it wasn’t. As I was turning I saw the car coming at me from my passenger side of my car. But, of course the roads were busy at the time. Everyone was driving like maniacs, wanting to rush home. She has just hit my passenger side headlight. I was in complete shock at first and I didn’t know what to do. I parked in a parking lot near the accident and called my step mom because we live at least five minutes from where the accident had happened, “I just got into a car accident turning on to East Ave, coming off of Webster Street. I don’t know what to do. Dad is going to be mad. You’re going to be mad at me.” My step mom replied with “Are you okay? I’m on my way, everything is going to be okay.” I then tried to call my dad, but he didn’t answer because he was working at that time. I called him again when I got home and explained everything to him. The lady that had hit my headlight followed me to where I parked also. At first, I didn’t think it was my fault because like I said I was a new driver and I thought I had known my surroundings. I heard people beeping at me and I didn’t know what to do. As our cars collided each other, I just looked around me thinking “What did I just do.” When the lady and I both parked in the small parking lot I got out of my car and asked if she was okay, she wasn’t harmed in any way and neither was I. Her front license plate was bent and she had paint on the front of her car that had rubbed off of mine, on to hers. I immediately thought that my dad was going to ground me and take my car away. But, he actually ended up being okay with it. He told me to learn from my mistakes and that these things happen. I then learned from my mistakes since then. As I go through intersections I look both ways even if it’s a green light and I am always cautious while driving now.

I have learned my lesson and I am a much better driver now. I trust myself driving others around. After I got into my accident, I was scared to drive anywhere after the first month or so. I then started driving again and I am now more experienced, and I trust myself now. I have improved in many ways. It feels good to be able to accomplish something. It is a type of relief that is lifted off your shoulders. My overall message I am trying to give out is to always check your surroundings and to double check everything. Trust your instincts, go with your first instinct you had. Although I thought I should have waited for the car to pass, I didn’t because I thought that I was right. Always pay attention and take the extra 5 seconds to be safe.

Photo by Kevin Walter on Foter.com / CC BY-SA