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“I work in medical sales. I was on my way to my next sales call to a doctor in Haldeon, coming from River Edge. I had just gotten on 208 North around 3:20 p.m. when about a half-mile up traffic had stopped suddenly.
Luke Lecuyer, 35, a Vermont native, lives in Wanaque.
“I’m not sure why cause it usually doesn’t clog there. I drive 208 very often so I know trouble spots and this normally isn’t one of them.
“I always make a habit when I stop on highway to check drivers behind to make sure they see that we’re stopped, and this time I noticed car coming at me at a high rate of speed.
“I kept waiting for him to hit brakes and slow down. But he didn’t.
“He was about 50 feet from me and still traveling at a high rate of speed when I realized: I’m gonna get smacked. I just wasn’t sure how hard.
“So I turned my wheel to the left, moved forward a bit and braced for the impact.
“By doing this it made point of impact at an angle instead of head-on, which I hoped would be less severe of blow for all of us.
“The next thing I know there’s the sound of the crash and I feel myself being lifted upward.
“He had to have been going 55+ mph when his smaller sedan hit my right side rear and propelled me up and forward onto the divider. My SUV then hit the car in front fell over on to its side.
“There was no skid marks of highway. I don’t think he ever saw it coming. They guy was either on his phone texting, or something. Classic case of a distracted driver.
“I asked him what he was doing and he wouldn’t answer me. He just kept asking if I was all right and said he was glad I was alive.
“I unbuckled my seat belt and climbed out the driver door, which was on its side. A few good Samaritans came by to help.
“I can’t emphasize enough the dangers of distracted driving. I’m always in the lookout for the other guy on the road. This time it helped me avoid injury.
“That, my seat belt and the Big Man upstairs.”
PHOTOS: Luke Lecuyer
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