UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)
Well-Known Member
We had a guest speaker at our PCM Thursday morning. The speaker was a woman who had been involved in what we would call a Tier 3 accident. She was stopped in traffic and was struck from behind by a younger driver (not a UPS employee) who was texting while driving. His speed at the time of impact was estimated to be 37 mph. She survived the accident but sustained life-altering injuries, to include having to wear a back brace for the rest of her life and surgically placed supports for her head and neck. She was on her way to pick up her 10 year old son from school which is ironic in that the point of impact most certainly would have killed him.
Her straight-forward description of the accident and resulting injuries had more of an impact on me than any training possibly could. Her life is ruined due to the selfish actions of another. She told us that his first words were "I was only on it (cell phone) for a second".
I think what brought this home to me was that her son and mine played football together and I remember her as being an active person. That activity has been taken from her forever.
I spent the rest of the day thinking about that and resisting the urge to use the DIAD in any way while driving. I also spent it being extra careful around those drivers who were either texting or talking while driving.
Her straight-forward description of the accident and resulting injuries had more of an impact on me than any training possibly could. Her life is ruined due to the selfish actions of another. She told us that his first words were "I was only on it (cell phone) for a second".
I think what brought this home to me was that her son and mine played football together and I remember her as being an active person. That activity has been taken from her forever.
I spent the rest of the day thinking about that and resisting the urge to use the DIAD in any way while driving. I also spent it being extra careful around those drivers who were either texting or talking while driving.