On Friday I was driving down a dark road in Mississippi after a get together for Labor Day weekend.

Although I have traveled many roads in Mississippi, this was a new one for me and I wasn’t familiar with it.

There were no streetlights or signs to follow, nothing to tell me what to watch out for.

I was driving alone and all of a sudden there was a sharp curve, and I lost control of the wheel.

I ran smack into the railing head on.

I blacked out for a couple of minutes and realized what had happened to me.

I tried to get out of the car, but I couldn’t because something was holding me in.

I automatically assumed I was somehow trapped inside. I sat there for a minute trying not to panic.

I happened to look down and realize my seat belt was holding me in.

I didn’t even remember snapping it on, but I guess it’s such a habit that I wouldn’t remember doing so.

My car was damaged a great deal on the driver’s side. It wasn’t until I got out of the car and saw the damage that I came to realize I was okay!

I mean, I ran smack dead into a rail in a little Mitsubishi Mirage and I was okay!

One may wonder why I am sharing this story, saying to themselves, what’s the point?

And one may not even care, whatever my reason is.

But what if I hadn’t been wearing my seat belt at the time?

I wonder would I have been able to write this for the Pacer.

It could have been the other way around and someone from the Pacer could have been writing a story on me.

I could see the headline – “UTM Student Badly Injured in Car Accident” or worse, “UTM Student Killed In Car Crash”.

Please take this piece of advice with you – Buckle Up. I was lucky enough to be here today to share this advice, and I am truly grateful to give it.

It only takes about five seconds and it will, in some cases, save your own life.

Valerie Pruitt is a senior communications major from Memphis.