While we were on the way up to Platte City, my boyfriend and I got into an argument over something. It was about something that was small and silly, but I recall that I was extremely upset over it. They say it’s never a great idea to drive while you are upset because it takes your focus away from driving. I found out the hard way how accurate this actually is.

I saw the red and blue lights flashing behind me. At first, I thought the cop was just trying to pass me so I switched lanes. The cop also switched lanes. I started to panic at this point. “What do I do?” My heart was pounding and it felt like it was going to beat right out of my chest. I started to sweat and my hands started to shake. “Natalie, you need to pull over!” My boyfriend yelled at me. I saw a strip mall up ahead and decided that would be the best place to pull over.

It was just my luck that when I went to turn into the strip mall, I hit the curb. “Great, now I just look like a complete idiot.” I thought to myself. I parked my car and started to look for my license and registration. I couldn’t find it at first. I was already freaking out to begin with, and this made me even more of a mess. “Where is it?” I saw in the rearview mirror that the officer got out of the car and was approaching my dad’s Lexus. “Here it is, I found it!” My boyfriend handed me the papers. I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself down. I rolled down my window as the officer reached the car.

“Where are you headed today?” The officer peered down at me. “I’m taking a friend home.” I gestured to my friend Abbey in the back, who was trying not to laugh at me. “Where does she live?” I looked at Abbey because I was not the best with street names. “Oh, I live off 4th street.” “Okay, well I pulled you over because you were going 50 in a 35. Are you aware that the speed limit drops to 35 back there?”

I remember seeing the 45 speed limit sign but I do not recall it dropping to 35. I felt extremely stupid in that moment. I should have payed more attention to the signs. I was just so upset that I wasn’t really thinking. I looked down in shame. I was pretty disappointed in myself. “No, I don’t remember seeing the speed limit sign.” I sighed. “Okay, well it is back there. You zoomed right past it. Can I see your license and registration?” I handed him the papers and he headed back to his vehicle.

“Start crying. He will feel bad and maybe let you off easy.” My boyfriend said to me with some hope. This wasn’t hard for me to do at all. I was already trying to fight the tears back. I started tearing up and I felt my mascara running down my face. The cop walked back to my car. “Why are you crying? It’s just a ticket! You will be okay.” He said in a cheerful tone. Of course, the ticket wasn’t a big deal to the cop! He was getting paid to give me the ticket. It was definitely a big deal to me since I just got my license yesterday! My dad was going to be livid when he found out I was speeding in his beloved Lexus. The cop went back to his car and drove off, but I just sat there a little longer and cried. I can’t believe that I got a ticket the day after I got my license. The Driver’s Ed class my parents made me take during the summer taught me better than this.

I took Abbey back to her house. I was extra careful driving this time. I put both hands on the wheel. I went five under the speed limit. I even stopped at yellow lights. My boyfriend was trying to calm me down the whole ride home. He was telling me how it was all going to be okay, but it didn’t feel like it. I felt like my dad was never going to let me drive again. I was not ready to get lectured by him. We finally got back to my house. I sat in the car for a moment and tried to pull myself together. I was in need of a pep talk. My boyfriend practically had to drag me out of the car. “No! I’m not ready for this!” I finally gave up and decided to just get it over with. We walked into my house. “Roger, don’t be mad!” My boyfriend said to my dad.

I walked up the stairs and handed my dad the ticket. I couldn’t even look at him. I knew what was about to come. “Seriously, Natalie? You just got your license yesterday!” I bursted into tears. “You need to slow down and be more aware of your surroundings! You cannot be speeding, it is not safe!” 

My dad is really strict when it comes to speeding. I remembered a story he used to tell me when I was younger. My dad’s parents died in a car wreck a while back. I never got a chance to meet them. The accident wasn’t their fault however. They were going the speed limit. A teenager who was speeding swerved into their lane. He wasn’t paying attention to the speed limit or his surroundings. They swerved off the road so they didn’t get  hit by him. Their vehicle flipped over many times. It was completely totaled. My grandparents probably would have survived the accident, but they were not wearing their seatbelts. My grandmother died immediately on impact. My grandfather died a few hours later. The moral of the story is to not speed and always wear your seatbelt.
Nearly 1.3 million people die in a car wreck every year. Based on statistics, there are 3,287 deaths from car accidents every day. I always make sure to wear my seatbelt, however I am guilty of having a lead foot every once in awhile. I try not to go more than 5 over the speed limit. Since I got that first ticket, I am always aware of my surroundings when I am driving. If I see a speed limit sign, I always slow down. It’s important to be focused on the road, drive safe and not get distracted.