She Did One Thing When She Got In The Car. Now She's Trying To Warn Others Of The Danger
#1 The woman in the picture below is 22-year-old college student Bethany Benson.
She had a lot of big dreams for her life and even though she is still alive to accomplish them, her potential has been cut short by just one simple mistake that most of us make.
#2 I found her story today and I just had to share it!
One later evening, Bethany was heading home in the passenger seat of her boyfriend's car. The two had been visiting Bethany's mother, and knowing that the trip back would take several hours Bethany reclined in her seat and put her feet up on the dashboard to take a nap.
#3 Seems normal right? A lot of us put our feet up on the dashboard when trying to get comfortable during a long drive.
However, Bethany's little rest was interrupted by an accident that changed her life forever. Down the road from the couple, another vehicle had quickly collided with a motorcycle.
#4 A tractor trailor just behind the crash quickly braked to avoid it.
Bethany's boyfriend, following the trailor, braked, too. The split-second decision sent Bethany and her boyfriend's car slamming into the trailor in front of them, causing irreparable damage to both.
#5 While her boyfriend needed 100 stitches, Bethany suffered far more permanent damage.
When the airbags deployed, they struck Bethany in the hamstrings at approximately 200 mph (roughly the speed of a Formula One race car). Bethany's knees struck her face, breaking her nose, left eye socket, and cheek bone. She also dislocated her jaw. The airbags, intended to help in a crash, caused Bethany permanent damage because her feet were on the dashboard of the car.
#6 In the crash, Bethany's feet were crushed and broken.
Now, her feet are two shoe sizes smaller than they were before the crash, and she has to purchase expensive, custom made orthopedic shoes to accommodate.
#7 Bethany will never be the same after this accident.
Her vision and hearing have been permanently affected, and she has absolutely no recollection of the accident.The 26-year-old suffered a brain bleed that left her with the mental capabilities of a 13-year-old. Bethany now lives with her mother, who cares for her.
#8 In the four years since the accident, both Bethany and her mother have become huge advocates for seat belt and general car safety.
Together, they hope to spread Bethany's story and prevent anyone else from being harmed by such a simple mistake. Both are committed to preventing such accidents in the future, and hope to warn people against putting their feet up on the dashboard while riding in the passenger seat.
