Yesterday, I escaped a terrible accident on the interstate.
In the morning, I wrote about moments and slowing down embracing the everyday. Little did I know that less than three hours after I hit publish that I would find myself in a situation where I totally became completely aware of the absolute gift of life and how quickly it could change.
Here’s why.
I was driving down the interstate with my daughter — we were both mildly irritated as we had left late and we were trying to hash out why — and then in a second our lives and perspective shifted. Up ahead, with two cars inbetween, was a car that all of a sudden swerved into the median area where it was full of gravel. As the car began to fishtail the driver slammed on her brakes and proceeded to spin out multiple times in the middle of the busy interstate. I screamed at my daughter to sit back and I swerved to avoid the cars veering everywhere while trying to not hit this spinning car in front of me.
Then the car spun out one more time and smashed head first into the metal barrier {thank goodness they have those} between the two lanes of the interstate. I slammed on my brakes and stopped about ten feet from her car – in the middle of the interstate. And there we sat – in the middle of racing traffic – stopped. I yelled to Hannah to sit back again and I sat there looking in my rear view mirror at traffic unaware of what just happened, and me, and my daughter sitting in the car with nowhere to go. All I could see was that line of cars racing toward our car that was now sitting on the interstate going zero.
Not now. Not here.
A semi-truck racing towards me slowed down and pulled up right behind me and stopped. After we both jumped out and checked on the girl in the car {she was okay, but simply and understandably very shook up}, we talked in that stunned way – that way where two people never expect to talk – right in the middle of the interstate where you only drive. And that driver, that man in the semi, he told me I knew I had to stop in back of you. I saw the smoke and dirt and then you and I knew that if I didn’t stop you’d be toast. You’d be toast because someone would be looking at their phone and slam into you, but they won’t slam into me. I looked at him, this man whose face is forever imprinted in my mind, and I thanked him over and over and over again.
He stopped his truck to save me and the girl whose car was in front of mine smashed into the median.
When I sat in the middle of the interstate for those long seconds before that semi truck stopped the thing that kept running through my mind was see me see me see me – pay attention – please – stop – slow down. I knew that if people weren’t watching they’d slam right into me and my daughter stuck in the middle of a place where we never wanted to be sitting still.
My point in writing about this? Besides processing the enormity of the day? It’s to talk about that same old, same old but always needing reminding of thing – do not drive distracted. Please do not. If even that semi truck driver was distracted I might not be sitting here tonight with my daughter in the family room watching The Voice. If I had been distracted, and I had just hung up my phone as I entered the interstate, I might not have seen everything until the last second and then it could have been much worse then me with a pretty sore upper back. This humbled me. Reminded me how easy it is to be distracted.
Put your phone away.
I want to live finding joy – embracing life, loving my family, and writing about joy.
Distracted driving is not worth it.
Share this message, this reminder, and save lives.
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34 comments
What a scary moment that must have been. I’m so glad you and your daughter are safe!
That is so scary!! So thankful for that truck driver!! He’s right…people wouldn’t have seen you but they can’t miss him. what a nice thing to do when he could have just passed you all by.
Glad you are all ok!
Wow! What a blessing! I know it is so easy to feel like everything will be just fine to text while driving on the interstate…or through town…but I know that I don’t often think, if ever, about ‘what if someone lost control of their car, and in order for me to save lives, I need to put my phone down.’
When it comes down to it all… that text is not very important. 🙂
So glad you are safe!
amen. so thankful you both are okay! will be praying. 🙂
Great message! Last year we were hit by a driver texting. Id picked my daughter up from a sitter and we were driving home when I noticed a car in our lane (2 way country eoad) and in a split second we were in the ditch. Thankfully she was rear facing & just badly bruised from her carseat. It took about 6 mos before she could hear a horn & not scream though. I praise God we werent on the interstate when it happened, as it was we totalled both cars & I had a scary ride to the hospital via ambulance.
Needless to say we sued. It is SO irresponsible to text & drive!!! If you dont care about your life, please have mercy for those if us traveling with our children.
I have been on many fatality scenes and have seen how this scenario can play out tragically differently. I am glad that you and your daughter are ok. Thank you for sharing the message!
Oh my word!! I sit at my desk this morning reading your post with tears in my eyes and chill bumps on my arms. I’m so glad you two are ok and I pray that this memory stays with your daughter as well as all who read this post today – nothing on that silly phone is worth your life or the life of your loved ones!
Thanks for sharing. ~Jenni
So happy to hear you and your daughter are both ok, and the other driver. God intervened for you, thankfully, the driver of the semi stopped. I see too many people still texting while driving and talking on their phones. It’s just too senseless and not worth it. Pull over if you feel it’s that important!
I had to choke back tears reading this. I am so so grateful that semi truck stopped for you! You are a voice to so many, but especially to me, reminding me everyday how I want to live my life. This is an important message.
Praise the Lord for His protection! I’m so glad you are safe. God sent that truck driver, wow, that is what gives me chills, that he was RIGHT THERE when you had no one to keep you from oncoming traffic. Amazing. And, yes, wow, a definite reminder to us all to not drive distractedly. So important. Thank you for this post!
Thank God no one was killed, especially you two. Thank God for angels in disguise–(the truckdriver)
I see every time I go somewhere, young people using their phones to text…so scary.
Thank you all for your kind words and for sharing your stories. It is amazing to me how many of us have had first had experience with distracted driving. I think it’s good to keep talking about it and reminding each other that we need to be aware while we’re driving.
I think I’m going to put my phone in the trunk while I drive. It’s way to easy to quick look down and see who’s calling.
Rachel
Wow, I’m glad y’all are okay. I’m constantly telling my mom she should put her phone away while she’s driving, but she doesn’t think it’s a big deal…
Prayers coming your way. xo
Rachel, praise God you and your daughter were spared! How scary and humbling. I pray you all will be comforted as you recover emotionally.
That is just so scary. It could have been so life altering in just a moment. I misted up reading your story. Thank you for the reminder about distracted driving. We can’t hear it often enough.
I’ve sent the link to this page to my home so I can remember to read your story to my kids. I’m glad you’re o.k.
Thank you all for sharing.
Last night, as I wrote this, I was so humbled and thankful. Yesterday could have ended so differently. I want to spread the word, to remind drivers to be careful while driving.
That semi truck driver? He truly saved us.
Rachel
So very glad to know that you are safe and a great reminder.
Sooo terrifying! I’m so glad you are safe and so glad you decided to share with us to make us more aware and tell us what we already know but somehow push to the back burner and think we are invincible!
What a horrific experience. SO glad you and your girl are OK. Those kind of things really get us thinking,don’t they? If only we would learn from others’ mistakes.
So so thankful that you are both alright! Thank you for the reminder Rachel!
You made me cry with this one – so glad you are all ok!
Rachel,
Thank heaven for happy endings. I wish more stories had them.
Thanks for sharing this.
Emily Hedges
we lost our 19 yr old niece 6 years ago because she looked down to get her phone when it rang. She ended up swerving into oncoming traffic on a highway. The truck tried to avoid her but still hit her head on.
More so than put away your phone – leave it away!!
Wow — life changing moment for sure!! I am sharing this over at my blog on Thursday for my 31 days of being present series. I think your message is very clear and much needed. I am SO glad you are OK!!!!
In the past three years I have taught my children how to drive. I have logged more hours as a driving instructor than any parent should (but I only have two and you have a few more than that, good luck when that time comes) My point, one of the things that I stressed and emphasized was the distractions, cell phones, music, friends, etc. We taught them that cell phones go in the glove box. If it is that important, pull over to a safe spot and call if necessary. No friends in the car for the first year of driving and keep music at a level that you can hear motorcycles and emergency vehicles. Moral: both kids have had near misses similar to yours, but it was the other drivers that were distracted. I love the invention of cell phones, I hate the invention of cell phones.
So glad that all ended well and god bless that truck driver and his common sense.
I couldn’t even imagine. So glad you and your daughter are okay. I just read about a 47 car pile up on I-75 by Tampa the other day. Crazy…
Oh my goodness, that’s terrifying! I’m so happy to hear that you and your daughter, as well as the girl that was driving are all okay. Praise the Lord
So glad you are okay. What a wonderful thing that truck driver did. Great message and thank you for sharing. – Amy
You just have to make me cry, don’t you?! Thanking the Lord for sparing you and Hannah! He knew what was going to happen and moved that truck drive to be in that exact place at that exact time to save your lives! We’re never given tomorrow! We’re never given 5 minutes from now. We’re given this second in time, and that’s it!
Lifting up prayers!
Psalms 86:1-4 Bow down thine ear, O LORD, hear me: for I am poor and needy. Preserve my soul; for I am holy: O thou my God, save thy servant that trusteth in thee. Be merciful unto me, O Lord: for I cry unto thee daily. Rejoice the soul of thy servant: for unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.
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I’m so thankful that everything turned out okay. Thank God for that truck driver and for keeping His protection on you.
http://www.wcax.com/story/19770219/trial-begins-for-teen-accused-of-hitting-pedestrian
This article is local. I know some teens who are shocked that this girl is facing 15 years for ruining a woman’s life. There’s no sense of the value of life any more.
As I read your article, I sat at my desk in my office and cried. Cried like I was there with you. I am so glad y’all are okay. Thank you for the reminder. My son is good to remind me to not use my phone when I drive. Oh, the wisdom of a 7 year old. BTW, I am a new subscriber and enjoy you blog so much. I see myself in so much of what you write. Thank you.
Oh, Rachel! So scary … I read this with tears in my eyes and a shiver in my heart. Thank you for this important message.
My husband works for a large corporation and drives a company car, a car that the company outfitted with a hands-free device. Despite that expense, the company recently announced a zero-tolerance cell-phone-use policy. There will be serious repercussions for any employeed caught driving while talking on the phone, hands free or not. I’m a grateful wife!
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