In a split second

I was on my way to work, driving the speed limit, doing everything right when the next thing I knew I was on the shoulder of the road, then in the ditch, and then flying over a crossroads, and then back in the ditch.
Why? Because as I came over a hill a car was stopped in the road and I chose to evade a rearend collision.

It all happened in a split second while driving the speed limit. I wasn't texting. I wasn't changing radio stations or adjusting the CD player. I was attentive, though obviously not quite attentive enough.

My last thoughts before swerving to miss the stopped car? I think those red flags should be blue.

That's right. I was looking at a set of three flags waving across the entrance of relatively new subdivision and for a split second imagined the red flags were blue.

That split second of less than perfect attention to the road compounded by a car with no tail lights stopped in the road just over a hill, resulted in what will probably be a totaled car.

I am thankful no one was hurt. But I am also thankful to be able to share with my students the seriousness of driving will distracted.

What if I had been texting? What if I had been adjusting the radio or CD player? What if I had been speeding?

I dare say my reaction time would have been delayed and I would not be typing this right now.

Taking a difficult moment and making it a teachable moment is another example of how simple it is to do what is best for kids!