Professor Murphy
English 101
22 September 2014
The Impact
We all see the commercials about drinking and driving and how easily it can impact someone's life. Teenagers in this generation all a have a sense of invincibility, and don't believe this could ever happen to us. The reality of it is it can happen to anyone and it did happen to me and my boyfriend, Jeremy. This summer not only was I involved in a bad accident, but involved in my first motorcycle accident, and it was caused by drinking and driving. Seeing someone go through the process of a drinking and driving charge, letting my body heal properly, and trying to maintain everyday life really made me see how important living in the real world is. What happened in the course of what started out to be a fun night, turned into a life lesson that impacted my life in so many ways.
The impact this summer left on me is long lasting, filled with distress and memories I’ll never forget. Two days after my graduation ceremony Jeremy and I went to a friend’s grad party he picked me up on his enduro dual sport bike. We went to the party and had a couple drinks then decided to go to the Shawnee Field Day Festival to watch the fireworks. We were having a really good time seeing old friends, playing games, and stopping at the beer tent once in a while. No one really paid attention to the amount of drinks we consumed; we were to busy having fun. When it was time to leave I figured he was okay to drive, though I asked him anyway and he reassured my assumption. That assumption was wrong; on a dark curvy road at about midnight on June 28th we were going way too fast, and hit a really sharp turn. We hit a mailbox full speed and flew off the bike into a ditch. I can still remember the second before we crashed holding onto him tighter and closing my eyes for the impact. When I opened my eyes I was laying half in a ditch on the side of a road, one shoe off, covered in mud, and not being able to feel my hands. I instantly looked up for Jeremy, who was across from me, asking if I okay and if I could get up. A couple from the house across the street came running and helped us to their house. Jeremy couldn't stand on his own, and I still couldn’t feel my hands; it took about 20 minutes for the pain to kick in. Sitting there we could hear the siren getting louder, the few minutes waiting felt like hours. I will never forget how that adrenaline rush felt it was something I never felt before and will never feel again.
The accident made this summer very hard for both me and Jeremy. Seeing him have to go through a court case, having to pay almost $1,000 in fines, and paying a lawyer $300 made me realize how hard getting a DWI would be. Before I never thought twice about getting in the car with someone who was drinking or getting behind the wheel myself after a few drinks. After this accident I will never put myself in a situation like that again. I didn't get to do anything I wanted to over the summer, what was supposed to be one of the funnest summers I've had, yet turned out completely opposite. I fractured my wrist and multiple fingers. After the