… to be in a car accident

December 17, 2019, the worst review day imaginable.  I woke up around six and got dressed quickly; I actually ran my hands through my hair not caring about my appearance. I went upstairs, ate a little breakfast, and made sure my brothers were ready to go. Finals were those next three days, so I wasn’t under much stress due to our review day. We finally left our house at 6:20 to go pick up my friend Isabella.

Sometimes in the morning I’m yelling at my brothers or Isabella and I are talking, but there wasn’t really anything significant happening that morning. The music was quiet and there was not very much conversation going on. I don’t know if it was because we were nervous for finals or what, but we were just waiting to get to school, tired but it was just quiet. 

We were driving and I got stuck behind this really slow car. I was really tempted to turn right instead of go straight because I usually go straight and go through the lights. We were going towards the Huntley Library, but I was really tempted just to turn right by the fire station because I didn’t want to be stuck behind that car and for some reason I ended up not turning.

I ended up driving through the lights until I had to turn from Algonquin onto Ruth. When I started to turn I heard Isabella scream “Corrynn! Corrynn!” I looked over and all I saw was headlights. My first instinct was to make it through the intersection because we were so close to making it. Instead, we were hit really hard. The speed limit on that road wasn’t too fast, but we were hit so hard, our car got totaled. 

 At first I didn’t hear anything. You know how in movies when someone gets hit. They hear a ringing sound? I didn’t hear that. I was so full of adrenaline that I told everyone to get out of the car. I looked over at Isabella and somehow her head got stuck between the airbag and the door. She was breathing heavy and so I told her to open the door and get out. 

It wasn’t my side that got hit. I was sitting in the driver’s seat, Isabella was in the passenger’s seat, Wade was sitting behind me, and then Garrett was sitting behind Isabella. Isabella and Garrett were on the side that got hit and they were both freaking out. 

When we got out of the car, the lady that hit us was yelling and panicking. She kept yelling that I shouldn’t have made that left turn and that I needed to call the police. If I’m being honest, my eyes couldn’t really focus, everything was pretty blurry. I walked over to the lady and calmed her down. I kept asking her if she was okay and she eventually was able to control her breathing. After I calmed her down, I called my mom and called the cops. 

I walked over to my brothers and noticed that Wade was the one who was hurt the most. He had cuts on his face from the glass and bruises all over his body. Garrett, Isabella, and I had bruises on our chests from the seat belt tightening. Thankfully we were all okay. My brothers and I ended up going to the hospital instead of school.

Sitting in the hospital was when I was given the ticket. Even worse was that I had to pay off the ticket myself. The ticket was $100. Unfortunately, at the time of the accident I wasn’t 18 so I wasn’t able to go to driving school. I wish I was able to use that $100 for something I wanted, but it went towards the ticket. 

I really wanted to go back to school, but after sitting in the hospital, I felt so much guilt. All I could think about was that I shouldn’t have made that left turn when I did. I ended up going back home to sleep while Isabella ended up going to school. Honestly, if I could go back and change one thing about that morning, I would have totally made that initial turn instead of go straight. I don’t know what came over me. 

It was definitely one of the worst experiences of my life. I’ve always hated driving, and now I hate it even more. If you want my advice, drive at your own pace. Everyone is always told “just get back behind the wheel,” “it happens to everyone,” and “you’ll be okay.” Please go through the steps after an accident at your own pace. If you’re not ready to drive again, then don’t drive. Take your time because that’s exactly what I’ll be doing.