Most of us have experienced the time-stopping, gut-wrenching experience of being in an auto accident. There's nothing quite like that feeling of realizing that you're about to impact another vehicle on the road.

Some times it feels as if that "other vehicle" came out of nowhere. And even in the more fortunate scenarios where no one is injured, it's always an eye-opening, paradigm-shifting incident.

Usually when we're dealing with inclement weather, many of us will take a little extra care to leave earlier or drive a bit more carefully than normal in an effort to arrive wherever we're going safely.

Scott Rodgerson, Unsplash
Scott Rodgerson, Unsplash
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I suppose that's why when I saw this accident this morning on Old Jacksonville Highway in Tyler, it reminded me of something we should all keep in mind--at all times.

Even on a stunningly gorgeous day like this one, we still need to "drive like we know each other." We must remember to be aware of the drivers around us, be a "defensive" driver, and do our very best to limit any distractions while driving.

The first thing that comes to mind? Our dad-blerned phones. Now, I have no idea what caused the wreck this morning. And I would've never taken a photo or two if it appeared that anyone had been injured. Whatever happened, we are just so very grateful that it appears that only the vehicles were damaged.

But please, and I'm saying this to myself as well: Please be careful when you're driving. It is just so easy to take a safe trip for granted. But it only takes a few seconds to find ourselves in a car accident--even on a gorgeous day like this one.

Stash the tech, focus on the road, and especially as we start to see an increase in traffic as we get closer to holiday shopping season--let's drive like we know each other.

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