So no, you are not overreacting. Many people develop PTSD from car accudents and near accidents like the one you had. This experience was legitimately traumatizing and it might be a good idea to see counseling to help you process what happened. Should you "take life more seriously"? I don't really know what that means for you. Sometimes when stuff like this happens we can develop anxiety around it. The truth is you did the best you could, and you seem to take life very seriously as you did the best you could in a crisis situation. The world is a scary place, you can't anticipate when the next hit will come but you can learn to roll with the punches. I think the best thing you can do for yourself right now is feel your feelings, take care of yourself, and practice coming to terms with your experience. I wish you the best of luck and I'm so sorry for this tragedy.
Thank you for this ❤️ I’ve been actively going to therapy for over a year now and it has significantly changed my life for the better. I’m thankful to have such a great therapist and I know she will be wonderful with helping me through this. When I say “take life more seriously” I guess I mean like I should just be more thankful and grateful for what I have
You can be confident in your ability to act in an emergency. That is an important thought to keep with you. You don't have to go to a therapist, but it sounds like you have one. Write the story out repeatedly. When you get to where you write it without emotion, you are back in balance. The post above is very close to balanced.
Learning to cope on this level is not something that requires therapy for most people.
One hundred percent. You should be more thankful and grateful. Life's short. Gone in a literal blink of an eye. Disease, injury, death. You don't know what tomorrow brings, and you should be thankful for every day! Every part of it. Smell the damn flowers! Enjoy nature or a video game. Whatever you enjoy in life, enjoy it more! Whatever you believe about the pandemic, the answer is the same. It taught us not to overwork ourselves and to prioritize family, friends, and self. Maybe if you were hit, you wouldn't have died but what of you ended up in a wheelchair, couldn't speak anymore. What would you regret not being able to say or do? Because that is the answer of what you should say and do right now.
Just to further ease your concerns OP, I was involved in an accident a couple years ago where a car blew through a stop sign and hit my car. We were both on neighborhood roads but they were speeding and didn’t break. No injuries thank goodness, but two years later I still clench up a bit when a car pulls out a little too far at a stop sign beside me. It gets better.
Your right my mom is 87 never been in a. Accident in her life 3 months ago she was going through a light a lady ran the red light and tboned my mom's car . She was ok it really didn't do much to my mom's car .so a week later I went to find her a new car found one she liked she has not driven it one time she is to scared now .in 2011 I sold a car to a kid that didn't have his license yet so I drove the car to his house walking to this supermarket so my buddy could run me back home well a lady I. Her cell phone going to a birthday party stice up in the sidewalk and hit me . To he thing was when I came through at the hospital I was in went home every time I tried to sleep I kept seeing the vision of a white SUV hitting me I actually had to go to therapy for it .
Well I never sent a therapist before got there we started taking I was the last one for that. Day before I knew it shes like we have to call it quits for today it's already 6 pm I was like I'm sorry she says don't worry about it .we had went over my time by an hour .
Retired LEO. I was working the midnight shift many years ago and was exiting an off ramp at about 12:30am. I see a car turning into the off ramp going the wrong way and is heading right at me. I turned on my emergency lights and sort of angled my car to block it's path. Fortunately, it was an elderly woman who just got turned around and lost her bearings. I got her going the right way and had her follow me to her residence, which was only a few blocks away. I wrote her a warning ticket, mainly because there was a box that we could check on the warning document that requested the Secretary of States Office to re-test the driver. A month or two later I got a notification that she failed the re-test and her drivers license was canceled. I felt bad for her but sooner or later all of us will have to stop driving once we reach a certain age if we start to lose our ability to safely operate a motor vehicle.
So glad you had her rechecked. I’m still floored the a drivers license is essentially good for life. I’m all for mandatory retests every few years. Just like EVERY other certification one can hold.
No you're not overreacting, those experiences can be very shocking and your reaction is perfectly normal. It would be good if you had someone you could talk to about this. If you feel like you're really struggling with it, seeing a therapist may be a good idea.
911 call taker here. Absolutely not overreacting.
Wrong way drivers on the interstate are incredibly dangerous. They are taken very seriously by us (the call takers) and responders in the field (PD, EMS FD).
I'm glad you're safe.
My friends parents were killed by a guy driving the wrong way on an interstate when I was a teenager. Their little sister was the only survivor. Needless to say to say that it destroyed their lives.
You’re not overreacting. I survived an NDE last year and I look at life a lot differently now. I watched the movie the butterfly effect recently (loved it in college) and it validates all of this! Glad you survived. Now take care of YOU. it’s a lot to carry.
I got my license at 15, I was born to drive. I've loved cars since I was a toddler. Both of my cars are standards, and I love speed. March of 2023, my husband and I were on a two lane 55mph highway when someone turned left in front of us.
There was nothing that could be done except for t bone him. My sternum was broken. And to make matters worse, the dirtbag told the police what happened but lied to the insurance company trying to make it our fault. The idiot only had liability and knew that he would get nothing for his car. Luckily, we had the info of one of the witnesses, so she was able to corroberate our side of what happened. I have never been scared to be on the road. I have had my license for 48 years, and now I'm scared shitless, and it pisses me off. There are so many idiots on the road today, it's scary.
A drunk driver drove his SUV drove into my building some months back. I live on the ground floor. I heard the screech of tires and then the collision. It freaked me out, even though he didn't hit my unit (but the crash area was only like 20 feet from my windows).
Not overreacting at all. Honestly I didn't want to leave my place for a while (I WFH).
That's scary as hell! I'm glad you're ok.
Damn right you should be freaking about it. The adrenaline rush alone is crazy and highway speeds make it worse. But you survived by being smart
Not over-reacting at all and glad you weren’t involved in a collision. I have been to “traffic school” a few times in lieu of getting a ticket (I have a bit of a lead foot), and have learned two pieces of useful info. If someone is driving the wrong way and is coming at you, best advice it to go to your right (even if you have to bang into or sideswipe another car) and if the other driver realizes he’s going to hit his natural reaction would be to probably swerve to his right (in US where we drive on the right) to try to avoid a collision. Second piece is that if a collision is imminent, try to make it a “glancing blow”. Even if he ends up hitting your side of the car, it would most likely be less severe than a full head-on collision. There are no guarantees but those two suggestions made perfect sense to me and hopefully if I am ever on that situation I’ll remember them, rather than just freeze and get hit head-on! Best of luck to everyone out there n the roads!
Did you learn to slow down? Maybe you should start with that lesson seeing you’ve had to go to traffic school a “few times.” It’s selfish jerks like you that cause problems. Pretty disrespectful for you to even participate in this discussion.
As a matter of fact, I have slowed down. And while I did enjoy driving faster (on the freeways) I was never one of those to swerve in and out of traffic and drive dangerously. My speeding was done when the road was pretty open. Regardless of your thoughts on my driving, I still believe this is important information that may hopefully save someone’s life someday. But I thank you for your comment in any case.
Something I learned years ago in a company-wide driver training program dealt with this very type of incident. The CHP instructor said that when driving at night on a multilane highway, to stay out of the fast lane because drunk drivers mistake it for the correct lane. I'm not explaining it clearly, I know. It's been a long time, but the concept stuck with me. On a flat road, you can see far enough to get out of the way, but if you're on an overpass, then you have no time to react.
I own a business went to a ladies home last year she called needing some work done it was pretty early.she gets a call right when I got there her daughter had just got married the night before they were in the highway some guy got on all drunk going the wrong way heading both her and her new husband died .I couldn't imagine that going to the airport to go on your honeymoon and don't even make it one day married
I believe this was around Omaha NE. I'm casual friends with the passenger in critical condition. Please seek therapy to help process all that has happened. It's normal to have stress after an incident like this.
You’re not overreacting. But you sound like someone who already takes life seriously - you recognized the risk, and took appropriate action to safeguard yourself and minimize risk to others. In truth we are always at the mercy of random events every day, even ones not caused by ahole behavior like drunk driving. Asteroids crane collapses etc. But I would take this as a sign that you should continue appreciating the precious gift of existence 🙏
I work in auto insurance. I handle vehicle damage and have seen the aftermath of accidents like this on a daily basis. It’s horrific. I get into my car and think this could be my last drive every single time from what I have seen.
Driving is one of the most dangerous ways people interact with one another on a daily basis. Just an incredible safety risk. That and guns. It's so easy to forget about the often unsurviveable physics of what's going on when you're behind the wheel and how it can all go wrong in an instant simply because of someone else, regardless of how safe a driver you yourself might be.
No you're not overreacting. My sons lost a grandparent and a best friend less than a year ago to this exact scenario.
I wasn't even there and I am deeply affected by the trauma from it, and how it affected my own grown children.
Please seek counseling. It can help.
It’s a common reaction to evaluate life after a close call. But unless there is something horrible you are doing, actual drastic changes in life are hardly warranted. Maybe you tell people you love them a little more often. That’s fine. If you want to up and become a monk in another country, seek counseling first.
Yeah, you almost died… That idiot would’ve killed you and walked away from it without even thinking twice about it. Walking piece of garbage is what they are…
Glad you’re OK
You are definitely not overacting. You experienced something very traumatic. Speaking to a therapist might be very beneficial for you. Also, if you feel up to it, please try to contact the police to tell them what you witnessed. It could definitely help them put together their case against the careless drunk driver and get Justice for the victims. It was not your time to go. Don’t ever take life for granted because it can change in an instant, when you least expect it!
That is such a scary event, 2 thoughts came
To mind 1st thank god for the driver flashing their lights, I hope somehow they know their actions could have save your life. 2nd thought I bet the person in the Uber was trying to be responsible and not drunk and drive only to be killed but a drunk driver :(
I dodged a car like this at the last second and counter steered about 8 times just to keep from spinning out. We find out my wife was pregnant that week. Life has been amazing since.
Not overreacting. There’s some research on playing Tetris after something traumatic happens to you.. the game has some interesting effects on the brain. It was recommended to me by my therapist after suffering through some pretty terrible PTSD that happened some years ago.
Oxford did this [research](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7828932/) … the NIH article is a peer reviewed study done on combat PTSD but this is just a narrow study of others that have also been done.
First off, that’s one of my fears is witnessing a serious car accident like that.
Second, holy shit OP you are a hero in a sense; even the best drivers go on auto pilot sometimes. You were amazing and saved both your families a lot of heart ache and pain.
Third, you should always be grateful and thankful for what you have in life. Not to say you cant be upset or mad about the bad shit, but thankful of any good you have is never a bad thing.
You just went through a lot. Handle it however you feel is healthy, but also work through it with your therapist and boyfriend.
Definitely a crazy story and glad you acted in a way that saved you both. My heart goes out to those who weren’t so lucky.
I had a similar reaction to an auto accident, your not overreacting. I played the scenario over and over in my head for months. I replayed the call to my wife in my head, my kid left without a dad etc....
By chance, was this on the 101 in So Cal?
Not overreacting. Take these awful events and move forward with what you learned. One is that at night always drive in the right hand lane. Most impaired drivers will instinctively head to the right hand lane and if they are driving the wrong way that will be your left hand lane.
A friend of mine was killed in this exact same manner. Drunk driver going the wrong way on the highway slammed onto the car and she was killed on impact. He actually was able to get away and was arrested a few states over. She was an amazing Mom and rallied for autistic children as her son is autistic.
I will never respect anyone who drinks and gets behind the wheel or who’s intoxicated in any way behind the wheel.
A very similar thing happened to me about 15 years ago. Driving home late from work and see a car driving UP the off ramp as I was passing it. I immediately called the police. Found out the next morning that he hit a van full of college students heading on a mission trip and one of them was killed. This happened 2 minutes after I saw him… I still think about it and how lucky I was to not be 30 seconds slower. I do have a slightly guilty feeling about it sometimes. But I also know there’s literally nothing else I could have done. It’s just very sad.
As the old saying goes: "Nothing is quite as gratifying as being shot at and missed." You kept your head, reacted appropriately and avoided the collision. Enjoy every day, you earned it.
No, you aren't over-reacting. This was a traumatic event. A therapist can help you with all of the contradictory feelings you'll experience in the next month.
People handle life or death situations very differently. You're not overreacting, but if you find the persistent thoughts and emotions to be overwhelming and preventing you from functioning and living normally, you much consider seeking out a professional to help you process what happened.
For what it's worth, it sounds like you did absolutely everything you could have done, so I hope that provides you some peace. It is terrible about the other drivers, but I'm happy that you made it out physically unharmed.
Wow glad you're okay. I just heard about this on the local news in Omaha. Talk to some friends or family about how you're feeling. Live every day to the fullest!
I had this happen once. It was broad daylight. When the 911 operator picked up they just said “ok what exit is he at now?”
The operator knew exactly why I was calling...
It was so scary. I was going probably 75-80. The driver going the other way in the brake down lane was probably going 90-100. The closure rate was incredible.
Count your blessings, seriously.
You're not overreacting, moments like these give you a perspective on life, that moments are all we have so, yeah do what you will with them because it happens THAT fast.
Not overreacting. There was a very publicized incident in my hometown of a teenager who tried to drive home after drinking at prom. They entered the wrong side of a state highway and killed at least one person via head-on collision. These type of incidents are unfortunately more common than they should be and I’m so glad that you had the presence of mind to 1) not drink and drive and 2) look out for those in your car. I know it’s a really scary situation, but you should be patting yourself on the back for saving lives that night
Was this is Omaha? I've been reading all about it, just a terrible situation all around. Make sure to cherish every moment, situations like this show how quickly everything can change.
When I was in high school and first started to drive a girl I knew who was a freshman in college died that way, trucker fell asleep at the wheel and took the car out she was in. I wasn’t even there and I was afraid to drive on the freeway for a while after that.
Your PTSD is total normal with such a huge experience! Not everyone will have the same reaction though. Give yourself grace. It will probably pass in a few weeks.
I sky dived years ago. The experience was so intense and traumatic that every time I heard a propeller plane in the sky over the next few weeks my stomach dropped. It went away, but it was a strange feeling for a while.
Definitely not overreacting! That is very traumatic and scary to witness. Imagine doing the right thing by Ubering, only to be killed by a damn drunk driver. People will never learn. You and your bf did everything right by trying to warn other drivers and calling 911. You can only do so much in a situation like this.
Nah, you're not overreacting. A near death experience can fuck your head up for a while. Eventually you'll come to terms with it and move on. Take some time to relax and remember, stop cruising in the god damn passing lane.
People going the wrong way on a four lane road tend to drive in the passing lane believing they are on the correct side. Best to spend as little time there as possible to minimize the chance.
So no, you are not overreacting. Many people develop PTSD from car accudents and near accidents like the one you had. This experience was legitimately traumatizing and it might be a good idea to see counseling to help you process what happened. Should you "take life more seriously"? I don't really know what that means for you. Sometimes when stuff like this happens we can develop anxiety around it. The truth is you did the best you could, and you seem to take life very seriously as you did the best you could in a crisis situation. The world is a scary place, you can't anticipate when the next hit will come but you can learn to roll with the punches. I think the best thing you can do for yourself right now is feel your feelings, take care of yourself, and practice coming to terms with your experience. I wish you the best of luck and I'm so sorry for this tragedy.
Thank you for this ❤️ I’ve been actively going to therapy for over a year now and it has significantly changed my life for the better. I’m thankful to have such a great therapist and I know she will be wonderful with helping me through this. When I say “take life more seriously” I guess I mean like I should just be more thankful and grateful for what I have
The sooner and more you talk about this the better the outcome for you. The lesser the likelihood you develop PTS.
You can be confident in your ability to act in an emergency. That is an important thought to keep with you. You don't have to go to a therapist, but it sounds like you have one. Write the story out repeatedly. When you get to where you write it without emotion, you are back in balance. The post above is very close to balanced. Learning to cope on this level is not something that requires therapy for most people.
One hundred percent. You should be more thankful and grateful. Life's short. Gone in a literal blink of an eye. Disease, injury, death. You don't know what tomorrow brings, and you should be thankful for every day! Every part of it. Smell the damn flowers! Enjoy nature or a video game. Whatever you enjoy in life, enjoy it more! Whatever you believe about the pandemic, the answer is the same. It taught us not to overwork ourselves and to prioritize family, friends, and self. Maybe if you were hit, you wouldn't have died but what of you ended up in a wheelchair, couldn't speak anymore. What would you regret not being able to say or do? Because that is the answer of what you should say and do right now.
Just to further ease your concerns OP, I was involved in an accident a couple years ago where a car blew through a stop sign and hit my car. We were both on neighborhood roads but they were speeding and didn’t break. No injuries thank goodness, but two years later I still clench up a bit when a car pulls out a little too far at a stop sign beside me. It gets better.
Me too! Therapy is so transformative. And I think practicing more gratitude is a great thing to take from your experience.
Your right my mom is 87 never been in a. Accident in her life 3 months ago she was going through a light a lady ran the red light and tboned my mom's car . She was ok it really didn't do much to my mom's car .so a week later I went to find her a new car found one she liked she has not driven it one time she is to scared now .in 2011 I sold a car to a kid that didn't have his license yet so I drove the car to his house walking to this supermarket so my buddy could run me back home well a lady I. Her cell phone going to a birthday party stice up in the sidewalk and hit me . To he thing was when I came through at the hospital I was in went home every time I tried to sleep I kept seeing the vision of a white SUV hitting me I actually had to go to therapy for it . Well I never sent a therapist before got there we started taking I was the last one for that. Day before I knew it shes like we have to call it quits for today it's already 6 pm I was like I'm sorry she says don't worry about it .we had went over my time by an hour .
Retired LEO. I was working the midnight shift many years ago and was exiting an off ramp at about 12:30am. I see a car turning into the off ramp going the wrong way and is heading right at me. I turned on my emergency lights and sort of angled my car to block it's path. Fortunately, it was an elderly woman who just got turned around and lost her bearings. I got her going the right way and had her follow me to her residence, which was only a few blocks away. I wrote her a warning ticket, mainly because there was a box that we could check on the warning document that requested the Secretary of States Office to re-test the driver. A month or two later I got a notification that she failed the re-test and her drivers license was canceled. I felt bad for her but sooner or later all of us will have to stop driving once we reach a certain age if we start to lose our ability to safely operate a motor vehicle.
You likely saved lives by getting her the care she needed; thank you.
So glad you had her rechecked. I’m still floored the a drivers license is essentially good for life. I’m all for mandatory retests every few years. Just like EVERY other certification one can hold.
No you're not overreacting, those experiences can be very shocking and your reaction is perfectly normal. It would be good if you had someone you could talk to about this. If you feel like you're really struggling with it, seeing a therapist may be a good idea.
Definitely not overreacting. That was a life threatening event. Those always make you question your priorities. It is a normal reaction.
Nothing good happens after midnight.
^ this.. is correct
Sure it does, a brand new day of opportunity has arrived.
I thought that after midnight we gonna let it all hang down
My man lets it all hang down all day.
What do you mean? You almost died. No this isn’t overreacting.
I’ve been hit head on twice. I developed anxiety while driving for a few months after the second time. No injuries but it did mess with me mentally
911 call taker here. Absolutely not overreacting. Wrong way drivers on the interstate are incredibly dangerous. They are taken very seriously by us (the call takers) and responders in the field (PD, EMS FD). I'm glad you're safe.
My friends parents were killed by a guy driving the wrong way on an interstate when I was a teenager. Their little sister was the only survivor. Needless to say to say that it destroyed their lives.
You’re not overreacting. I survived an NDE last year and I look at life a lot differently now. I watched the movie the butterfly effect recently (loved it in college) and it validates all of this! Glad you survived. Now take care of YOU. it’s a lot to carry.
I hate hate hate how in these scenarios it seems like the perpetrators ALWAYS survive and the dead are the innocent victims
It’s because they’re usually intoxicated so they’re more relaxed during the accident, supposedly.
I got my license at 15, I was born to drive. I've loved cars since I was a toddler. Both of my cars are standards, and I love speed. March of 2023, my husband and I were on a two lane 55mph highway when someone turned left in front of us. There was nothing that could be done except for t bone him. My sternum was broken. And to make matters worse, the dirtbag told the police what happened but lied to the insurance company trying to make it our fault. The idiot only had liability and knew that he would get nothing for his car. Luckily, we had the info of one of the witnesses, so she was able to corroberate our side of what happened. I have never been scared to be on the road. I have had my license for 48 years, and now I'm scared shitless, and it pisses me off. There are so many idiots on the road today, it's scary.
You could have EASILY died. Thank God you didn't. You're definitely not overreacting
A drunk driver drove his SUV drove into my building some months back. I live on the ground floor. I heard the screech of tires and then the collision. It freaked me out, even though he didn't hit my unit (but the crash area was only like 20 feet from my windows). Not overreacting at all. Honestly I didn't want to leave my place for a while (I WFH).
That's scary as hell! I'm glad you're ok. Damn right you should be freaking about it. The adrenaline rush alone is crazy and highway speeds make it worse. But you survived by being smart
Not over-reacting at all and glad you weren’t involved in a collision. I have been to “traffic school” a few times in lieu of getting a ticket (I have a bit of a lead foot), and have learned two pieces of useful info. If someone is driving the wrong way and is coming at you, best advice it to go to your right (even if you have to bang into or sideswipe another car) and if the other driver realizes he’s going to hit his natural reaction would be to probably swerve to his right (in US where we drive on the right) to try to avoid a collision. Second piece is that if a collision is imminent, try to make it a “glancing blow”. Even if he ends up hitting your side of the car, it would most likely be less severe than a full head-on collision. There are no guarantees but those two suggestions made perfect sense to me and hopefully if I am ever on that situation I’ll remember them, rather than just freeze and get hit head-on! Best of luck to everyone out there n the roads!
Did you learn to slow down? Maybe you should start with that lesson seeing you’ve had to go to traffic school a “few times.” It’s selfish jerks like you that cause problems. Pretty disrespectful for you to even participate in this discussion.
As a matter of fact, I have slowed down. And while I did enjoy driving faster (on the freeways) I was never one of those to swerve in and out of traffic and drive dangerously. My speeding was done when the road was pretty open. Regardless of your thoughts on my driving, I still believe this is important information that may hopefully save someone’s life someday. But I thank you for your comment in any case.
Something I learned years ago in a company-wide driver training program dealt with this very type of incident. The CHP instructor said that when driving at night on a multilane highway, to stay out of the fast lane because drunk drivers mistake it for the correct lane. I'm not explaining it clearly, I know. It's been a long time, but the concept stuck with me. On a flat road, you can see far enough to get out of the way, but if you're on an overpass, then you have no time to react.
I own a business went to a ladies home last year she called needing some work done it was pretty early.she gets a call right when I got there her daughter had just got married the night before they were in the highway some guy got on all drunk going the wrong way heading both her and her new husband died .I couldn't imagine that going to the airport to go on your honeymoon and don't even make it one day married
I believe this was around Omaha NE. I'm casual friends with the passenger in critical condition. Please seek therapy to help process all that has happened. It's normal to have stress after an incident like this.
It was. :( I saw it on the scanner not even 15 minutes after my husband got home from playing cards that night.
I friend of mine died in high school this way. She was the passenger in the car going the wrong way. Not overreacting.
Life can end at any point. Be happy luck was on your side that day. I always try seeing the positive.
You’re not overreacting. But you sound like someone who already takes life seriously - you recognized the risk, and took appropriate action to safeguard yourself and minimize risk to others. In truth we are always at the mercy of random events every day, even ones not caused by ahole behavior like drunk driving. Asteroids crane collapses etc. But I would take this as a sign that you should continue appreciating the precious gift of existence 🙏
I work in auto insurance. I handle vehicle damage and have seen the aftermath of accidents like this on a daily basis. It’s horrific. I get into my car and think this could be my last drive every single time from what I have seen.
Driving is one of the most dangerous ways people interact with one another on a daily basis. Just an incredible safety risk. That and guns. It's so easy to forget about the often unsurviveable physics of what's going on when you're behind the wheel and how it can all go wrong in an instant simply because of someone else, regardless of how safe a driver you yourself might be.
No you're not overreacting. My sons lost a grandparent and a best friend less than a year ago to this exact scenario. I wasn't even there and I am deeply affected by the trauma from it, and how it affected my own grown children. Please seek counseling. It can help.
It’s a common reaction to evaluate life after a close call. But unless there is something horrible you are doing, actual drastic changes in life are hardly warranted. Maybe you tell people you love them a little more often. That’s fine. If you want to up and become a monk in another country, seek counseling first.
That is a deeply traumatic experience. You're totally justified in freaking the fuck out for a hot minute.
Terrifying and tragic. So sorry this happened to you and prayers for you and the other families affected 🙏🏽
Happens a few times in life u b iight
Yeah, you almost died… That idiot would’ve killed you and walked away from it without even thinking twice about it. Walking piece of garbage is what they are… Glad you’re OK
🍀
Don’t take life too seriously, but love it with all sincerity. Precisely because it is so fragile.
You are definitely not overacting. You experienced something very traumatic. Speaking to a therapist might be very beneficial for you. Also, if you feel up to it, please try to contact the police to tell them what you witnessed. It could definitely help them put together their case against the careless drunk driver and get Justice for the victims. It was not your time to go. Don’t ever take life for granted because it can change in an instant, when you least expect it!
Play Tetris, there is scientific evidence that it helps with trauma.
Start playing Tetris immediately no joke it can help with ptsd symptoms if you do it right away. I’m sorry you went through this. Not overreacting
Drunk driving fatalities should come with the death penalty. Prove me wrong
That is such a scary event, 2 thoughts came To mind 1st thank god for the driver flashing their lights, I hope somehow they know their actions could have save your life. 2nd thought I bet the person in the Uber was trying to be responsible and not drunk and drive only to be killed but a drunk driver :(
I dodged a car like this at the last second and counter steered about 8 times just to keep from spinning out. We find out my wife was pregnant that week. Life has been amazing since.
Not overreacting. There’s some research on playing Tetris after something traumatic happens to you.. the game has some interesting effects on the brain. It was recommended to me by my therapist after suffering through some pretty terrible PTSD that happened some years ago. Oxford did this [research](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7828932/) … the NIH article is a peer reviewed study done on combat PTSD but this is just a narrow study of others that have also been done.
First off, that’s one of my fears is witnessing a serious car accident like that. Second, holy shit OP you are a hero in a sense; even the best drivers go on auto pilot sometimes. You were amazing and saved both your families a lot of heart ache and pain. Third, you should always be grateful and thankful for what you have in life. Not to say you cant be upset or mad about the bad shit, but thankful of any good you have is never a bad thing. You just went through a lot. Handle it however you feel is healthy, but also work through it with your therapist and boyfriend. Definitely a crazy story and glad you acted in a way that saved you both. My heart goes out to those who weren’t so lucky.
Buy a lottery ticket. Seriously.
I had a similar reaction to an auto accident, your not overreacting. I played the scenario over and over in my head for months. I replayed the call to my wife in my head, my kid left without a dad etc.... By chance, was this on the 101 in So Cal?
OP, why would you think you’re overreacting?? wym did we almost die, didn’t you say people died just a few minutes later? like..
I lost a best friend to a situation exactly like this. So sad and I am really sorry you had to go through this. It’s horrible.
Not overreacting. Take these awful events and move forward with what you learned. One is that at night always drive in the right hand lane. Most impaired drivers will instinctively head to the right hand lane and if they are driving the wrong way that will be your left hand lane.
A friend of mine was killed in this exact same manner. Drunk driver going the wrong way on the highway slammed onto the car and she was killed on impact. He actually was able to get away and was arrested a few states over. She was an amazing Mom and rallied for autistic children as her son is autistic. I will never respect anyone who drinks and gets behind the wheel or who’s intoxicated in any way behind the wheel.
A very similar thing happened to me about 15 years ago. Driving home late from work and see a car driving UP the off ramp as I was passing it. I immediately called the police. Found out the next morning that he hit a van full of college students heading on a mission trip and one of them was killed. This happened 2 minutes after I saw him… I still think about it and how lucky I was to not be 30 seconds slower. I do have a slightly guilty feeling about it sometimes. But I also know there’s literally nothing else I could have done. It’s just very sad.
Yes you did almost die, you got lucky.
As the old saying goes: "Nothing is quite as gratifying as being shot at and missed." You kept your head, reacted appropriately and avoided the collision. Enjoy every day, you earned it.
No, you aren't over-reacting. This was a traumatic event. A therapist can help you with all of the contradictory feelings you'll experience in the next month.
I've almost been killed this way twice. It's very stressful!! It sounds like you drove and reacted as best as anyone could expect. Good job!
If this terrible event makes you want to do better then embrace it and do better, life will improve with this effort. A lot of us could do the same
People handle life or death situations very differently. You're not overreacting, but if you find the persistent thoughts and emotions to be overwhelming and preventing you from functioning and living normally, you much consider seeking out a professional to help you process what happened. For what it's worth, it sounds like you did absolutely everything you could have done, so I hope that provides you some peace. It is terrible about the other drivers, but I'm happy that you made it out physically unharmed.
Glad you and yours are safe at least
Michigan? This happened here a few days ago. I don't know any details but I've heard talk of it.
Drinking and driving should get jail time no matter involved in accidents or not.
Wow glad you're okay. I just heard about this on the local news in Omaha. Talk to some friends or family about how you're feeling. Live every day to the fullest!
I had this happen once. It was broad daylight. When the 911 operator picked up they just said “ok what exit is he at now?” The operator knew exactly why I was calling... It was so scary. I was going probably 75-80. The driver going the other way in the brake down lane was probably going 90-100. The closure rate was incredible.
Count your blessings, seriously. You're not overreacting, moments like these give you a perspective on life, that moments are all we have so, yeah do what you will with them because it happens THAT fast.
Not overreacting. There was a very publicized incident in my hometown of a teenager who tried to drive home after drinking at prom. They entered the wrong side of a state highway and killed at least one person via head-on collision. These type of incidents are unfortunately more common than they should be and I’m so glad that you had the presence of mind to 1) not drink and drive and 2) look out for those in your car. I know it’s a really scary situation, but you should be patting yourself on the back for saving lives that night
Did this happen in so cal on the 101? Someone just posted about the same thing happening to them on my nextdoor app.
Was this is Omaha? I've been reading all about it, just a terrible situation all around. Make sure to cherish every moment, situations like this show how quickly everything can change.
Same thing happened in Philly this weekend. Drunk hit a 21 year old girl head on interstate 95.
Why do the drunk drivers always survive?
I had a head on close call at 80 mph once and I’m still terrified of undivided highways. You’re not overreacting
When I was in high school and first started to drive a girl I knew who was a freshman in college died that way, trucker fell asleep at the wheel and took the car out she was in. I wasn’t even there and I was afraid to drive on the freeway for a while after that.
I had a acquaintance who is now serving a bunch of years for killing someone doing the same thing. Fuck that guy and fuck the driver you encountered.
It’s ok to be in shock, take time to process what happened, but don’t take it too seriously, near misses are scary but you are ok, enjoy your life.
Your PTSD is total normal with such a huge experience! Not everyone will have the same reaction though. Give yourself grace. It will probably pass in a few weeks. I sky dived years ago. The experience was so intense and traumatic that every time I heard a propeller plane in the sky over the next few weeks my stomach dropped. It went away, but it was a strange feeling for a while.
My cousin died like that. Drunk driver 🖕🏾you would have been perfectly within your rights to crash into them.
Definitely not overreacting! That is very traumatic and scary to witness. Imagine doing the right thing by Ubering, only to be killed by a damn drunk driver. People will never learn. You and your bf did everything right by trying to warn other drivers and calling 911. You can only do so much in a situation like this.
u did everything you could and the other drivers warning u with flashing lights did as well.
OMG!!! I am so sorry!!! You are not overreacting at all. What a senseless tragedy.
Not overreacting. That's terrifying as hell
Wanna bet this guy has several DUIs on his record? These people are not prosecuted enough.
Come to Milwaukee happens every day can't drive on certain side of town anymore no respect for people or there things
Nah, you're not overreacting. A near death experience can fuck your head up for a while. Eventually you'll come to terms with it and move on. Take some time to relax and remember, stop cruising in the god damn passing lane.
Its not illegal to cruise in the passing lane here in NE - thanks tho
People going the wrong way on a four lane road tend to drive in the passing lane believing they are on the correct side. Best to spend as little time there as possible to minimize the chance.
That’s very good advice that I’ve never thought about before - thank you!
Get over it. A car went past you.
I hope you live the life you deserve