Seatbelt Testimonial - By Heather Hansen

On August 14, 2002, I was involved in a fatal car accident. I lost not only a classmate but also a close friend. In a traffic jam of 5,000 students, sometimes late and all heading the same direction I had no idea my life was about to change forever.

While sitting at a stop light in a line of traffic, I was suddenly hit from behind. At first I didn’t realize what had happened as my car wasn’t facing the red light anymore. Very shaken up with a good sized bump on my head I removed my seatbelt and ran towards the cries of my best friend. Then I witnessed a sight I will never forget, the sight of another friend lying in the backseat of the car after he was thrown from the front. Through all the smoke and shattered glass, I tried to help him. So many thoughts were going through my head, and I knew the situation was very critical.

I began to feel sick as I waited for the ambulance to arrive; it felt like I was waiting for an eternity. Watching the paramedics try to save my friend was very scary. So much chaos and sirens, yelling and crying – it all happened so fast. Things weren’t going good and then we found out our friend did not make it. When I heard this news everything just became a big blur. I thought to myself how lucky I was to be alive, and if I wasn’t wearing my seatbelt then I could have been in the same position as my friend.

In 9th grade I attended a S.A.F.E. Seatbelt Education presentation in Ms. Ramer’s Life Management Class. The presentation given by the Orlando Firefighters (Scott and Marcus) made a huge impact on my views of seatbelts and their importance. My seatbelt left bruises and I received a bump on the head, but most importantly it left me a future. My friend may have been here with us today if the one thing commonly forgotten was remembered.

I learned from the presentation and then first-hand that it only takes a second for an innocent life to be taken. In this accident involving five people, four walked away with broken hearts. I am able to tell this story because I was wearing a seatbelt. I hope every high school student gets to see the same seatbelt presentation. It may save their life as well.

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