Several years ago, I was driving home late one night, returning from a rehearsal or meeting of some sort. The roads were very slick as a sudden rainfall had come and gone quickly. The sounds of wet roads permeated my car, even over the music on my radio. You know, the sounds of tires on wet roads, passing cars spraying water and wiper blades against the window... It is a known fact that roads are the most hazardous after a light or short rainfall. And this night proved that fact.

As I came around a bend in the road, I saw water spray and cars spinning. I took my foot off the gas and remembered to not brake too suddenly. I slowed almost immediately and watched the scene before me unfold. A small red coupe was spinning wildly on the road having just struck a dark blue medium-sized SUV, which had just come to rest backwards on the shoulder, smoke rising from tires and the hood. The coupe stopped suddenly as it had slammed into one of the four-foot yellow post that lined the length of the bend. I held my breath as I pulled over, hoping I could help. I could see that there was a person in the SUV and they seemed to be moving about ok and the smoke / spray had dissipated. The coupe had my full attention.

I jumped out of my car and ran to the young man trying to climb out around the pylon. He dropped to his knees, I urged him to not move, then I noticed that there was another person in the passenger seat barely moving. Clothing from the coupe had been strewn all over the road and shoulder. I found something large enough to lay on the ground, as I tried to get the driver to relax; he seemed to want to run but could not. Someone from a house nearby asked what I needed, I called for blankets and for them to dial 911; they already had. By the time the blankets arrived, the barely moving passenger from the coupe had emerged and was struggling to stay standing. I was able to get them to both lie down.  I thought I smelled the alcohol. No wonder they had survived; the car was totaled.

With them somewhat subdued, I went to check on the other car, another passerby had stopped to help. As I approached I could hear the woman driver screaming; it was then I saw that she was about eight months pregnant. She seemed physically ok, just very upset, the Good Samaritan was overly upset, only making the situation worse. I urged her to call a family member for the driver and calm down. Then we heard sirens, as the police arrived first, just prior to the EMTs. When I was done describing what I had seen and done upon arrival, the questioning officer looked me right in the eye and asked if I had smelled alcohol, if they had said they were drinking; I wasn't sure how to answer as I thought it odd he would ask. Wasn't that his job? I just answered that I wasn't sure, maybe, I was just busy trying to get them to lay down, so they wouldn't get further injured.