By Dale Avery
During our last snow storm our sixteen year old daughter put her car in the ditch. Thankfully, she was physically fine. She had taken a friend home that lived outside of the city limits. She was not driving recklessly, but hit an icy patch and just slid off the road into a deep ditch by a field.
Because she was out in the country it was dark out and no one was really around. To top it off, I was on a plane flying home from Phoenix and my wife and in-laws were in Peoria for the evening. She called my wife a little hysterical. But once she understood our daughter wasn’t hurt, they were able to talk through next steps. She had over a half a tank of gas so she could idle the car to stay warm – we’ve told her not to let her car get below half a tank in the winter because you just never know what might happen. We did miss the suggestion to keep a pair of boots in the car as it was tough to get out of the car in high heels in a snow drift and check to make sure the tailpipe was clear while she idled the car. My wife had her call AAA herself and explain her location and request a tow truck to get her out.
While she was waiting for the tow truck, some teenage boys from her school that lived out that way happened to drive by and stopped to check on her. Who says teenage boys can’t be gentlemen any more. They tried to push her out but couldn’t, but made sure she was OK before they went on their way. A guy that had a tow strap in his truck also stopped to try to get her out, but couldn’t with the incline of the ditch. The kindness of strangers still exists!
Joe’s towing arrived sooner than we expected. After chucking at the high heeled shoes, the driver helped my daughter to his truck while he hooked up her car and got it out of the ditch. He checked the car out and gave her some tips on what it would feel like to drive with snow packed in the wheels and to be sure and park in the garage that night so the snow could melt out of the wheels.
My daughter was physically OK and amazingly the car didn’t get any damage sliding into the ditch. Sometimes we learn some great life lessons from frightening incidents that turn out OK. Going in the ditch reinforced the rules we gave about the car in winter. My daughter will probably think twice before she puts on high heels with snow in the forecast. People should take the time to stop and help each other, and great service still exists in a time when everything around us seems on the decline. If our daughter is in or comes upon an accident in the future she will be able to handle herself a little better after this experience. Sometimes life provides us with a little opportunity to learn some great lessons!
Dale Avery, CPCU, is the assistant vice president – Enterprise Services at State Farm® Corporate Headquarters in Bloomington, Ill.
Avery began his career with State Farm in 1982 as a personal lines underwriter in Lincoln, Nebraska and assumed his current position in 2006. Avery, a native of Missouri, received his bachelor’s degree from Central Missouri State University. He earned his CPCU in 1991.
Dale resides in Bloomington with his wife, Laura and their two daughters; Megan and Jenna.
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