Accident

Friday on the way home I witnessed one of the most horrible accidents I’ve ever seen happen before my eyes. I was nearly home with Emelia traveling down a busy two lane road. It’s common to see people walking along the side and crossing over to either get to the strip mall or to return home from going there.

On this trip home I saw two teenage girls waiting, impatiently to cross. One girl was looking away from me, down the direction I was traveling. Then, I saw her start to bolt out. She was actually trying to get across while cars were coming. I can’t image how she could not have seen that I and other cars were coming from one direction while other cars were coming directly to her right before her eyes.

She stupidly did not see the car immediately in front of her and she ran right out into the road trying to cross. The person driving the car coming towards me had no chance of stopping at all. The speed limit is 40 mph and she came right out as the car was there. They did a good job trying to stop, but ended up hitting her with the front corner of the car. She flipped over in the air like a piece of cloth and landed very hard on the road side next to the car. The other girl had started to move as if to cross at the same time as the first girl, but stopped when she realized cars were coming.

All the while I’m passing by going the other direction, mere feet from all of this. I was in complete shock at the time and couldn’t believe what I just saw. It happened so quickly and without warning that I’m surprised that the car had enough time to even attempt stopping.

When I look in my rear-view mirror I saw the girl lying there and not moving at all. A few people already stopped and ran over to the accident, but with Emelia in the car and not having any way to get help I felt completely helpless. Then I realized that we live right next to an ambulance corp. We have to listen to the sirens each time they take off.

I quickly made my way there, which took all of a minute. I ran inside yelling for somebody, but the place was deserted. Finally, I found a couple of guys in the lounge. They had the lights off and didn’t hear me calling out for somebody. I told the that a young girl had gotten hit by a car and was lying in the middle of the road and where it all took place. At the time it seemed that they were not going to go at all or that they were just moving too slow for me, but within a minute they were on their way to the accident.

This accident has been bothering ever since it occured for a number of reasons, not all of them immediately apparent. The first thing is that I’ve never had to experience anything like that in real life before. Seeing and hearing the sounds involved is horrible. She did not scream, but you could not mistake the sound of the car hitting her. She had no idea what happened.

The second thing is that I have to count myself lucky. The girl could have very well run right in front of me and Emelia. I’m ashamed to say that I was so shocked that it happened that I might not have been able to react as well as the other driver did. It happened so quickly and without warning that I don’t know if I could have done so well in trying to stop. There just wasn’t time. And as horrible as it sounds I also count myself lucky that the other driver didn’t hit us as well. Either situation would have been a lot worse.

Ever since this happened I’ve been left wondering how the girl is doing. She wasn’t moving immediately after the accident occured so she was either unconscious or worse. I’m tempted to go back to the ambulance corp to see if they could tell me something, but I have my doubts that they would be willing or able to share any information.

I hope that for her sake that she didn’t die for making such a stupid mistake. She is only a teenager. I also hope that my going directly to the ambulance corp and getting those guys to respond did some good. They probably arrived three minutes after it all happened and I believe that to be a lot less time than it would have taken had somebody called 911, which I’m sure was done as well.


2 Responses to “Accident”

  1. Dad Says:
    June 21st, 2008 at 7:21 am

    You’re right it’s a horrible thing to witness. I have in my career of driving seen some things unfold that stuck with me for a while.
    You did the best that you could by stopping at the corp. Don’t fall into the trap of the what ifs. It’s the wrong way to feel.
    You did something most people would not think of. What you are feeling is caused by the training from the FD coming back to you. It’s natural, it’s ingrained in you now. As they say “once in the FD always in the FD”. It truly does stay in your heart forever.
    You chose the safety of your daughter over the slim chance of helping out the girl. You assessed the scene and your situation and decided all in a few seconds. That is your training and something to be proud of.
    You can report what you saw to the PD but be aware you may wind up testifying for the driver. This is a choice you will have to make.
    Although it doesn’t seem it right now, you did a good job under the circumstances and I am proud of you.

    Dad.

  2. Shaun Says:
    June 24th, 2008 at 12:51 pm

    I heard through the grapevine that the girl is alive. She was apparently conscious and talking to people when the ambulance arrived. That’s a relief. The guy that hit her kept saying “I don’t understand why she tried to cross.” I don’t understand either.

    It’s funny that you bring up the FD since re-joining creeps into my mind every so often. There is no way that I would have time to give the job the attention it deserves, but the desire is still there.

    Two of my coworkers are volunteers in the department where my house is. One is even a commissioner. Overhearing the conversations about the department brings back old, fond memories.