Do not drink and drive. I have heard this phrase plenty of times. Unfortunately it took a life-threatening experience for me to finally learn this lesson. I never thought that I would be that drunk driver who causes messy accidents, is arrested and gets months of punishment. I never thought I would risk the lives of people around me and my own for a night of fun. My big mistake happened on a nice and warm spring night in New York. My friends and I were at a club to celebrate one of our friend’s birthday.
I was also showing around two of my visiting friends from Turkey whom I had not seen for a long time. I had to teach them how to club New York-style. The club was playing some good house music and nifty remixes. We were having so much fun drinking and dancing. It was truly the perfect night. Wanting to party longer with my friends, I unconsciously drank way past my limit. I only realized that I was really drunk at four in the morning when the club started to empty.
Head throbbing, I felt I might have trouble driving but it was impossible to find a taxi that late. I am not sure what I was getting into but my friends and I had to go home. I met a friend when I stopped at the red light and he advised me to stop driving because of my condition. By then, we were already a couple of miles from the club and I have regained confidence in my driving. I kept driving with my friends. No one could stop me until I turned at that fateful corner.
I was going too fast and the brakes could not stop the car as it went hurtling towards a parked car. We hit the car sharply as our airbags deployed. While no one was hurt, I started to panic and could only think about escaping from the accident. I drove away but was later stopped by the police. The police handcuffed me. It was the first arrest of my entire life. My friends and I were still lucky to survive and not have faced anything more dangerous such as hitting a pedestrian. The accident is my bittersweet lesson.
It made me understood the dangers and seriousness of drunk driving. It has also made me realize how truly precious life is and how stupid decisions can quickly end it. Unfortunately, I had to get arrested and go to New York for court. I have damaged the perception and respect everyone had of me. People should think before they act. I wish I understood that before the accident. This accident taught me that the only way to stop wishing and wondering why I make so many mistakes was to think before I did anything. Do not drink then drive. Think then drive.