The events of one single instant can forever alter the course of one’s life. This was true for me on November 10, 2001. My car collided with another car heading westbound on Highway 55. That night, the man in the other car died of injuries sustained in the crash. On that day, the lives of two families were thrown into upheaval. I still carry the shock and grief of that day with me today.

The facts were simple. I ran a read light and struck a car crossing the intersection. The other car flipped and landed facedown in the eastbound lane. My car spun 180 degrees and ended facing east. I was not speeding. I was not talking on a cellular phone. I was not eating. I was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol. I was not falling asleep. It was a nice afternoon and from the most desirable driving conditions derived the most undesirable result. For one moment my concentration drifted, and in that moment the horrors of the world crept up on me.

We are all young and invincible, or at least we feel that way. We race our cars, show off to our friends, drive without seatbelts, blast our music, eat, talk on cell phones, and partake in a million other distractions that draw our attention away from driving. One single distraction for one single instant can expose our vulnerabilities. One single distraction can change your life and force you to experience the pain that I have. Worse, one single distraction can cause another boy or girl to lose a parent, another wife to lose a husband, another person to lose a friend and another child to lose a role model.

I pray every day that nobody goes through the grief that I have went through. I pray even harder that nobody will experience the pain I have caused. Sadly, the world does not work this way. We can’t just wish our troubles away. We can, however, take measures to prevent them. We can begin by accepting that we are not invincible and, in doing so, we can accept the full responsibility of operating an automobile. We are not just responsible for our own life and the life of our passengers, but also for the life of every other person on the road.

Too often we drive past crashes without fully comprehending their implications. Too often we believe that this sort of thing couldn’t happen to us. Before this happened I would have told you that this would not have happened to me, that I was a good driver. It can happen, and it did happen.

I plead with all of you to take this lesson to heart, to remember my story. I am still alive, because I was the lucky one. I now have a chance to tell me story. So many others in my position did not. I know all too well that one second of inattention can lead to a lifetime of regret and pain. All I ask of you is the following: Understand we are not invincible; accept the responsibilities of driving; make the safe decision; and never, never forget what can happen in just one instant.

-Rudy