It was the beginning of a new year. I was helping my son move into his new house. I was returning home with my dog in the back seat, riding in his kennel. I was driving down a feeder road on State Highway 249. For those of you not from Texas, a feeder road is a road that runs parallel to a major highway. I approached an intersection with a green light indicated. As usual, I proceeded to drive through the intersection.

Suddenly, there was a white blur and a loud collision. I have always heard that time slows down during an emergency. For me, this was undoubtedly the case. I recall wondering why these airbags were deploying and how I would put them back. I then looked to my right and saw the other car flipping through the air and landing back on its wheels. When my truck stopped sliding, there was smoke and debris everywhere. Either my truck or phone sensed the collision and called 911. I remember thinking, why is my phone calling 911? I was in accident denial.

I quickly realized I was physically ok, just a bruise on my shoulder from the airbag. I went to the other car, and the driver was also okay. She did not have a seat belt on but was unharmed. Her airbags may have saved her.

The police and EMTs arrived, and the other person received a ticket for running a red light. Fortunately for me, she had insurance. The EMTs asked if I was ok and then asked if my dog was okay. My dog was shaking, but he was fine. I appreciate them asking about my dog.

After some flailing around, I managed to contact her insurance, and after a few weeks of driving a rental car, the insurance company paid me a fair amount for my wrecked truck.

I purchased a new to me truck a few weeks later and have financially recovered from the incident. Emotional recovery will take longer. A few days ago, I did manage to drive through the intersection where the wreck occurred. I could still see small parts from my truck by the curb. For now, I am a much more cautious driver, especially at intersections. As a result of this accident, a few things became clearer to me than ever.

  1. No matter how good of a driver you think you are, accidents can occur in the blink of an eye.
  2. Seat belts and airbags are valuable safety devices.
  3. Everyone, please ensure you have liability insurance and that the payments are current.
  4. First responders are a blessing.
  5. A dash camera is a wise investment. I was fortunate the person who hit me was honest and had insurance.
  6. If your phone or vehicle can call 911 during an accident, make sure the feature is enabled.
  7. Ultimately, a vehicle is just a material possession that can be replaced. The important outcome of this accident was that neither driver was injured.

Drive safely!

Make the most of this day.