I remember approaching the curve. As my driving instructor and my dad always said, snow on the road means driving substantially slower than one would in normal conditions. Remembering this piece of advice, I rounded the curve 10 miles under the posted speed limit.

Nonetheless, I slid off the road and slammed into a fence, leaving my car with a dent and multiple scratches and no mirror or door handle on one side.

“Mom, I’ve just been in a car accident.”

I was in a state of shock as I dialed my home phone number. I had never been in a situation where I felt so helpless behind the wheel. The tires of my beloved car were stuck in a snow-filled ditch, and the right-side mirror was lying in the snow, broken.

As I conversed with my mom, I stepped outside to find the mirror that was violently ripped from the frame of my car. My shoes were filled with snow, but I couldn’t feel my socks as they became soaked.

According to WBAL, Harford and Baltimore Counties accumulated about an inch of snow that covered the roads on the morning of Friday, Jan. 7. The weather forecast predicted snow flurries for Friday and Saturday, only to clear up late Saturday night.

Numerous counties throughout Maryland, including Baltimore County and Cecil County, were granted a two-hour delay due to the inclement weather. Harford County, however, was not. As a result, students, parents and teachers had difficulty arriving at school safely, myself included.

I used to think that two-hour delays were just two more hours of sleep, but after my crash, I know that morning delays are precautions that need to be taken for public safety.

According to ‘The Aegis,’  Bel Air Police handled at least a dozen traffic accidents, three school bus collisions were reported, and 20 calls made to 911 between 6 a.m. and 9:15 a.m.  A two-hour delay could have helped on Jan. 7 because drivers were forced to venture on snow- and ice-covered roads.