Driving at 100km/h along State Highway 5, two cars in front of us swerved into oncoming traffic and slammed on their brakes. As my mind was processing what was happening ahead, the headlights of an oncoming car shone right in my face.
My husband braked, my arm instinctively flew out across his chest and a scream froze in my throat.
The car sped down my left-hand side, less than a metre from the passenger door.
I exhaled, not aware I had been holding my breath, and looked in the rear view mirror to see the car pull back on to the right side of the road as though nothing had happened.
The two cars in front of us pulled over, no doubt in shock, and I started violently shaking.
Then I got angry.
How dare that driver put other people's lives at risk - whether they were intentionally trying to pass the queue of cars or fell asleep and crossed the centre line - had we collided, my husband and I could have paid the ultimate price of that driver's stupidity.
Although terrifying, the experience will not likely stop me driving, it's just not realistic in this day and age. But it did highlight more than ever before how much road users rely on others to make it to their destination safely.
Watching that dash cam footage was horrifying but you know what the worst bit was? I've seen countless videos taken on New Zealand roads showing the same thing.
And now I've experienced it firsthand too.
We can only be responsible for our own actions so the next time you consider taking a too-small gap or risking a dodgy overtake, remember there are real people at the other end, just trying to get to their destination safely.
