It was turning out to be one of those days where anything that could go wrong was going to for me. Sitting with my friends before first block, I got a call from an unknown caller. Usually, I don’t bother answering, but today was different for some reason. I took a chance and answered.

The call certainly didn’t disappoint. Someone had hit my car.

Car accidents are nearly inevitable. It’s a milestone of sorts, like falling off a bike for the first time. It happens to everyone and usually a couple times. But I had always kind of imagined my first accident to be a little more dramatic, maybe a little better of a story.

Let’s be honest, it’s not a very impressive story. My car was hit while it was stationary in a parking lot. I wasn’t even there for it. Although, it’s better that it isn’t a good story. It’s better than the stories that have been on the news for the past week about teen driving crushs.

A lot of people claim that it won’t happen to them and disregard the cautions. Maybe it’s because it happens all the time. We become desensitized. But as winter approaches, it’s becoming more and more important to stay vigilant on the roads. If wrecks are already increasing without snow and ice, imagine what the news will hold for us as we get further into the winter season.

Most accidents happen simply because people aren’t paying enough attention to what they’re doing. It’s easy to zone out while driving, especially when the drivers are tired from either just waking up or a long day at school. All it takes is a little focus to avoid sometimes fatal accidents.