Page 50 - AAA Magazine – AAA Ohio Auto Club – September 2018

Behind the Wheel: Steer Clear of Distracted Driving
“It started as a typical morning.” You hear that often when people talk about life-changing events, and last July I experienced it all first hand.
I was getting ready to head out on a family vacation
to Lake Cumberland, and it was my last day of work before my family and I were supposed to leave town. The sun was shining and I was just a couple of miles away from my home. As my car crested over the hill
and down into a valley, I noticed a herd of deer off in the distance. Seeing the deer reminded me of my dad and how we used to be on the lookout for them when
I was a kid. I looked back at the road and noticed a garbage truck up ahead of me and didn’t think anything of it. I took another glimpse of the deer for what seemed like a half of a second, and when I shifted my gaze
back to the road, the garbage truck that was up the road was now right in front of me and at a dead stop.
In that instant, everything happened so fast.
I remember swerving, watching the airbag deploy and seeing the giant cracks in my windshield. My entire vehicle, with the exception of where I was sitting, was crunched and nearly unrecognizable. Thankfully, other than a few scratches, I was not injured and neither were the people operating the garbage truck. However, that day could have ended very differently.
This incident has completely changed my view of what “distracted driving” really means. It’s not just looking down at a phone; it’s any time you are taking your eyes off the road or your mind off task. I want to share this story with as many people as I can because I am fortunate that I CAN still
In that instant, everything happened so fast. I remember swerving, watching the airbag deploy and seeing the giant cracks in my windshield.
share the story. My last day of work before vacation last July could have had a very different ending and it could have been my ending too.
I’m thankful to be able
to share my story and for
the support of Columbia
Gas who encouraged me
to share it with my coworkers
across the state, reminding them all of the importance of being present and focused whenever you’re on the road.
I still get emotional talking about it, but to be able to go home that night and hug my wife, hug my kids, there was no better feeling.
Connect with others who have a relevant story to tell.
By Andy Francis
Field Service Technician at Columbia Gas of Ohio
48 | AAA MAGAZINE