She Had Just Put Her Feet Up, But Made The Biggest Mistake Of Her Life

Bethany Benson , Before/After accident

Bethany Benson was just getting comfortable, when she put her feet up for a few minutes and slouched down in her seat. Moments later, that move would be the biggest mistake of her life, and she would come to regret forever.

Benson and her boyfriend had set out for a relaxing road trip that was no different from any other. He drove, while she sat shotgun soaking up the sun and the downtime from a grueling college schedule. Like many passengers getting situated for the long haul, Benson kicked back and put her feet up on the dashboard.

Moments after getting comfortable, the couple’s trip took a turn for the worst. One collision far ahead of them led to a domino effect of disaster, with Benson and her boyfriend’s vehicle at the center of it. A small car collided with a motorcycle in front of a tractor-trailer driver, who tried to slam on the brakes. But the motion of the massive truck couldn’t be stopped in time, nor could Benson’s boyfriend, who slammed into the back of the truck. Benson’s feet were still up on the dashboard, which caused her to suffer unthinkable injuries.

Benson’s feet injuries after some recovery time

According to Driving, the airbag quickly deployed at a speed of 200 mph and slammed into Benson’s hamstring, pushing her feet up through the windshield. This impact also caused her knees to ram up into her eye sockets, which cracked her left socket and cheekbone.

The injuries didn’t stop there. The 26-year-old also broke her nose, eight bones in her left foot, and three bones in her right foot. All of this could have been avoided if her feet had been safely planted on the floor of the car, instead of the dash. Even though the injuries are extensive, Benson and her boyfriend were lucky to have made it through the accident alive.

Benson’s car

Benson demonstrating how she was sitting that caused her so much harm

It’s now been five years since the collision first took place on August 2, 2010, and she’s still working through the complications. Most of the external injuries have healed, but Benson suffers perpetual pain, takes handfuls of medication daily, has to wear special shoes, and the bleeding she had in her brain after the impact has left her with irreversible damage.

Simply because she made a very common mistake many passengers make, Benson’s life will never be the same. She likely would have been fully healed from the lesser injuries she would have endured from the crash, had it not been made ten times worse from her feet being up on the dash. A moment of comfort and convenience is not worth a lifetime of pain and possible disability.

h/t: [IJReview]