The Crash That Should Have Killed Me!
by DON MCKAY
It was a typical fall day in Dundee IL. The sky was clear the temperature about 65 Degrees Fahrenheit. At the time I was only 10 years old, and my mom was pretty young then about 29 years old. Anyway, my mom and I were on our way to my grandparents house traveling down State Highway 31. I spent a lot of time at my grandparents because my mom was one of those unstable people. She would run off for weeks at a time, and come back loaded. You know the type. Then in slow motion it seemed a car traveling in the opposite direction blew a tire and lost control. As we both stared in shock at the car hurling at us neither of us were wearing a seatbelt.
My mom believed that seatbelts were too restrictive. She did not like anyone or thing controlling her. So, I guess you could say that she never wore one. Being only 10 at the time I was never taught about safe driving or being a safe passenger. As this huge station wagon hurls into us head on my moms head smacked into the windshield. I went through the windshield and landed on the roof of the station wagon. I was unconscious for about 6 hours. I was scared from my face to the back of my head. I must have gone through the windshield headfirst. If it were not for the car I landed on I probably would be dead. We were near a sharp drop off on the side of the road that had a guardrail protecting cars from going over if they lost control.
This experience is a common one even today. Most people who hate to wear their seatbelt don't because it is uncomfortable. They hate the way it digs into their neck, or the tightness around their chest and waist. Just imagine all the lives that could have been saved through out the years. It is truly heart breaking to lose a loved one to death, and I am fortunate that we both were able to talk about this wreck long after it happened.
I am just trying to promote awareness. If you know someone who does not wear their seat belt then send them this link www.seatbeltstay.com
