During the 24 years I've been around on this vain world, I (fortunately) never mourned the death of a close friend or relative from a car accident, but (unfortunately) I recently was informed about the death of two people I used to know in my teenage years.

Some times numbers don't depict the truth and indeed when I used to hear that 3.000 people die on the Greek roads every year (which btw is 0.3% of Greek population), I didn't realize the tragedy on its full scale. I did realize it now though, since it happened to two persons that I used to know, talk, laugh, play with.

First accident; A 23-year old riding his motorbike got hit by a car, suffered serious internal injuries and passed away after a week in coma.
Second accident; A 26-year old driving from Athens to Patra was somehow found on the opposite lane, hit another car and died instantly.

Common elements between the 2 accidents? Both of them could have been avoided . In both of them, 2 young people who had their whole life ahead of them, died so suddenly, while they were just trying to do every day chores. In both cases, there are people left behind(especially the parents) whose lives will never be the same again, and damaged beyond repair.

Every death occurring is tragic and every human life has the same, infinite value. But the deaths from car accidents are even more tragic, because the striking majority of them could have been avoided, since they're caused by human mistakes. Someone drunk 5 beers, thought he could still drive and ended up hitting another car killing a whole family. Someone neglected to wear his seatbelt, which could have saved his life when he slipped off the road and hit a tree. Someone was talking on his cellphone and didn't notice in time the child that was crossing the road. And the list goes on and on.. so many lives gone to waste, just because of a few seconds of reckless driving. Makes you angry, sad, disappointed if you really think about it.

So next time you drive your car, you should bear in mind that it is only the means to get you to your destination safely, nothing more, nothing less. It's not the way to release your anger, it's not the way to show off to your buddies, it's not the way to have an adrenaline pumping experience. You can do all those things in other ways, without putting lives in jeopardy. You should realize that your car is a potential death trap. That doesn't mean you have to drive on a constant state of panic, but you have to be focused and drive on a defensive way. Even if you're in the car but not driving , you should remind the driver that he's holding on his hands his and your own life , so he should drive with the respective responsibility.

One last thing; I know that this thread is not really fitting to the Christmas atmosphere and is pretty much depressing, but I still felt a big urge to write it down. Besides, don't forget that Christmas, for many of us, means big car trips to their holiday spots. Don't drive recklessly (or let the driver do so), risking your own (and of the ones you love) life just to reach your destination 1 hour earlier. It's not worth it.

Edited on amon's request - AF9

"Drive safely" is a powerful message that many drivers, unfortunately, do not adhere to.

I've read that flying is approximately 120% safer than driving... Let's fly everywhere! :D

I think its an extremely appropriate message to send at this time. Here in Australia every Christmas holiday period the laws are changed to make it higher fines and loss of points if you are booked for any driving offence. The only reason for this is that historically the deaths on the road sky-rocket this time of year. The laws have actually have saved countless lives despite the fatalities on the roads at x-mas still always being higher than other times.

People are more relaxed and carefree, and going to more parties and everyone knows the national pastime of Australians is to drink booze so that is a factor often. Young people thinking they are indestructible is also another big factor.

Its very sad about your friends Amon. I hope some young people here read this message and think a bit.

Great thread! Very important to many who don't watch the road or talk on cells phones/ text while driving.

Great article, very important topic. Many young drivers want to impress their buddies or forget about responsibility and safety.


After I passed my driving license, I also was careless at first. All were telling me to drive slowly, but I more or less ignored them. When I had my first accident (lucky me nothing serious, no other car involved), I realized how fast it can be over and now I'm driving more slowly.

I've read somewhere this sentence : don't drive fast, you're in a death instrument!

Good message and it should be taken highly into consideration by people. We should all think that if drinking alcoholic beverages and then trying to drive somewhere is worth risking your own life or the life of others. Even if a drunk person survives, they're going to be arrested, get points on their license or get their license revoked, and whats worse is they'll have to be in court where the victim's family will deeply make the person feel bad and then get jail time. It's like I heard on TV when someone said, "you drink and drive, you are a mobile weapon on the roads", and to me that quote is true.

i wish more people would read this.. great message to send..

i walk home from school everyday, and it's down a busy street, so every other day or so some driver almost manages to hit me do to their inattentiveness.. i may be accident-prone, but i don't believe that they're texting about my being accident-prone

We get life only once and it is a pity when people realize what they have done when it is too late

I always slow down near intersections and give priority to pedestrians on pedestrian walk but there are lots of mindless drivers who don't obey the rules of traffic and so a life is lost forever and a family is destroyed.

No matter if you are in a hurry or not, always obey the rules you have learned at driving school and respect yourself and anybody else who is driving near you :)

Manage your time so you can absorb it in case of getting stuck in traffic and get plenty of sleep before a long road :)
Don't act violently in case of tension in traffic and call the police in case of any illegal activities during your driving on the street !!!

My driving instructor gave me an important advice after achieving my car license:

"The most important mission as a car driver is getting you and your passengers back home safe and sound no matter if it is snow, rain or wind"

Use this advice and fulfill your mission mates, Mission Accomplished!!!

It's a sad message but with all this snow around atm, it is more important than ever to follow this message.

at this time near Christmas when all your family members are driving and traveling this is an important message to read :)

A nice thread amon with two meanings. Not only about driving, but about beeing careful as well. I enjoyed reading your thread but we must never forget that only god can judge us and life won't last forever.

Good advice good meaning, A good star as well. Congrats amon!

Well done amon, you deserve the SOTW!

Wow!

You made a real life Sad event into an instructions..Nice one

RIP to those two

When I played football, amateur, I used to be pretty wild and keen on the fields. As a defender, I was of the impression ‘no-one will pass’. Once broke someone’s both legs with a tackle. Since I have stopped doing that and also don’t drive because I like simple and nature things (walking is one of them), I don’t see how I risk someone’s else life. Of course, I make sure to not hurt anyone’s feelings in any way.

That is one of the best articles I’ve ever read. Very human. And gives crucial life lessons to anyone, because, in this world, almost all who post here will drive some time from them who don't do already. A must read for Belfue I would say, who supports the silent driving.

By the way, I haven’t ‘met’ so nice people like you and him ever. Compared to the rest and considering the increasingly with the steps of Gulliver antagonistic world we all live, you both are ''too'' nice, and have real characters...

Totally worthy SOTW man with a pointed Viking beard.

Recently had 4 people who I knew well in a car accident. It was a huge shock to everybody. Doctors said it is a miracle that nobody was killed, and we are all very thankful that we still have them around today. All of them are still in rehab, and some are just starting to walk again. It is horrible what happened to these people that you know. Hopefully as time goes on you will be able to move on from their death, and remember their lives. Thanks for sharing, and yes please drive safe this winter.

I've had a friend's sister die in an accident, but it wasn't her fault, the car got out of control. Recently my dad's friend has been in an accident but he is badly injured thankfully not dead.

I had a friend before make a quote, "Don't drink and drive, you'll spill the drink!" and I got mad at him for making that quote trying to be funny!