SO lucky, I had to share - (also, a WTH)

overtonhayes

Yesterday afternoon, DH and I were involved in a wreck. And thank God, everyone, baby included, was fine.

 We were parked outside our local Starbucks, and, like all other stores on that road, to get out you have to reverse directly into the road. For that reason, the speed limit there is 25 and there are many speed bumps. DH was driving and I was in the back on the driver's side, because we had the dog with us and it's easier for him to be in the back with me. DH puts the car in reverse. He thoroughly checks that the road behind him is clear. I also check, out of habit. DH starts to reverse, and suddenly there's a huge crash and I'm thrown about a fair bit, even though I had my seatbelt on.

This woman came out of nowhere. She was easily doing 35, if not 40 or even 45mph. Somehow, she didn't hit the back of the car, but the corner and my side. Considering the force of the impact, the damage to both cars, and the layout of the road (in addition to the low speed limit, she would have had to stop at a stop sign not 200 feet away from where we were hit), she had to be speeding; and even so, probably on her phone, because otherwise she would have still been able to stop. Two of DH's friends had to take me to the hospital because DH was still talking to the police. I felt fine, but the seatbelt broke my skin, so I knew I could been thrown about enough to harm the baby. Thankfully, the baby is completely fine, and since I don't work or anything I get to just stay home; take it easy; and watch for any signs of distress.

A word of warning to everyone: always, always put your seatbelt on the moment you get in the car. I know that sounds incredibly patronising, but I dread to think what could have happened if I wasn't wearing mine. I have a bad habit (which is stopping NOW) of not putting my seatbelt on until we're moving. In fact, the only reason I already had my seatbelt on when we were hit is because I had to put it on before DH put the dog on my lap.

But while I'm - well, 'relieved' doesn't begin to cover it - I'm absolutely furious at that woman. It's bad enough that she was speeding through a zone that's always full of people and young college students, but she never even asked if we were alright. DH was FURIOUS when we were hit, but still the first words out of his mouth were "are you alright, ma'am?". She said yes and immediately launched into bitching about the damage to her car. I'm now very clearly pregnant, and she saw me get out of the car from the spot she'd hit. She just sat on the curb while we waited for the police. Between waiting for the police, and the times when the police were talking to DH and not her, she had nearly an hour to come and see if the pregnant lady she'd just rammed was alright. She didn't, even when two people show up to take her away (surely, it's pretty damned obvious where I'm going!).

I'm just so, so relieved that everything is ok. It could so easily have been different. If I'd not worn my seatbelt; if she'd hit us a second earlier or later; if she'd been going any faster; if DH hadn't stayed calm... It doesn't bear thinking about.
Please, please, ladies: seatbelts. Always.