On July 21, 2005, at 7:13 am, a young lady was traveling east on I-94 heading to Bismarck to pick up her nephew for the weekend. Her name is Kylee Bittner and she wants to let everyone know her story and how a simple thing like buckling her seatbelt saved her life…

She fell asleep a short distance from the Sweet Briar exit. Her car was going left heading for the median, when her wheels on the passenger side of the car were going across the rumble strips which woke her up. She tried to correct herself by turning the wheel to the right, which brought her back up onto the highway. Trying to straighten the wheels out didn’t work. They seemed to be locked. She knew she was heading into the ditch on the right and went up over the hill. At the top of the hill is where she rolled the car an estimated three times. Her car spun and hit two wooden fence posts and came to a stop facing northwest.

Kylee does not remember rolling but when the car stopped right side up, with the engine still running, she remembers turning it off. She remembers that she had to get out of the car. She tried to open the door thinking it was locked. She pulled up the lock, but it was stuck, so she hurried and crawled out the driver’s window. She was dizzy when she got out but she had to get help. She started running for the highway. When she reached the top of the hill, she saw a car parked on the side of the road and another car pulling over. She started yelling for help, screaming, “I need help. There was an accident. Call 911,” while waving her arms for help. She saw someone was calling 911. Then she ran to the other car and found out he was from Glen Ullin, as was she, and she knew him - Brad Kilde. He took her into his car, tried to calm her down and let her use his cell phone so she could call her mom.

It only took a few minutes for the highway patrol to arrive at the accident scene. After the call to her mother, she looked herself over finding only a few little scrapes and cuts. She only had one deep scratch on her left arm. She was so terrified and in shock. All she wanted was to see her mom and when she saw her coming up the highway, she knew then everything was going to be okay, although it seemed like forever until she got there.

The first question asked by the Highway Patrolman was “Were you wearing your seatbelt?” “Yes,” Kylee replied. The Highway Patrolman and Kylee were talking and he told her if she wouldn’t have had her seatbelt on, he didn’t know if she would be here right now. Talking about that scared her and she was thankful that she believes in wearing her seatbelt and for everything she had. She was so happy she had her life because she couldn’t imagine being gone. That scares her every time she thinks about the accident and the results that could have been. She keeps thinking what if she didn’t wear her seatbelt, and realizes that the seatbelt is what saved her life and she thanks God for that.

Here are some personal thoughts from Kylee about her car accident and life:

 "When I got out of that car, I was just so thankful that I had my legs, fingers, arms. I had my body, I had my life. I always took everything for granted, wanting every little thing. I knew I wasn’t going to have a car after this but I know I have my life. I am very thankful for that. I know I had people watching over me and making sure I was going to be okay. Falling asleep each night, right now, is hard for me to do because every time I close my eyes I have flashbacks of the accident. Waking up every day from now on is so amazing just thanking God that I have my life. This accident is the scariest thing that ever happened in my life. I would just like to ask everyone to please “wear your seatbelt” because it saved my life and it could save yours, too. I would also like to thank my family, my friends, and God for always watching over me and being there. You all mean so much to me and I love you all. God Bless All of You!"    ~ Kylee Bittner

Steidl receives Saved By The Belt Award

By Tina Foreman
Farmer Staff Writer (McKenzie County Farmer)

Most people don’t realize that a simple decision can save your life. However, that’s exactly what you may be determining every time you choose to put on your seat belt or to leave it off.

For 27-year-old Dixie Steidl, of Watford City, the decision she made on Aug. 13, 2009, was a lifesaving one. In addition to saving her life, it also earned her the Saved By The Belt Award.

“No one plans to be in an accident. That’s why it is so important to always put on your seat belt,” says Tim Coughlin, North Dakota Highway Patrol trooper. “You look at the amount of time it took this young lady to put on her seat belt; it was only a few seconds. But it gave her a lifetime.”

For Steidl, the day started out great. Not only was it a beautiful summer day, it was also her birthday.
“I got up that morning and I was full of energy,” says Steidl. “It was hot and sunny outside and I was heading to Billings, Mont. to see my cousin. It was one of those mornings when you think the day can’t get any better.”

Unfortunately for Steidl, the day didn’t get any better. It got much worse.
“I had lunch and headed for Billings,” says Steidl. “But the last thing I really remember was celebrating my birthday the night before with my family. My memories from Aug. 13 come in bits and pieces like remembering how I felt that morning and leaving for Billings.”

The reason Steidl doesn’t remember having lunch or any of her drive to Billings is because at approximately 2:20 p.m. on Aug. 13, she was involved in an accident that if she hadn’t been wearing her seat belt, would likely have ended her life.
“No one will ever know exactly what happened to cause the accident,” states Coughlin. “The thing that we do know is that before leaving on her trip, Dixie made a choice to put on her seat belt. A choice that ultimately saved her life.”
Steidl was traveling on North Dakota Highway 68 near the North Dakota state line when her Chevy Impala left the roadway and rolled.

“From our investigation, we believe that for some reason, one of her tires left the roadway causing her to over-correct,” says Coughlin. “After that, her car entered the ditch and the uneven ground caused the vehicle to roll. Her car cleared a barbed wire fence and rolled between one and four times.”

When Coughlin arrived on the scene, Steidl had already been airlifted to Billings and from the scene. He was amazed to hear that she was alert and talking when she left.

“As I investigated the scene, I kept thinking if this person survives it will truly be a miracle,” adds Coughlin. “To this day I still think it is a miracle that she lived, and I know that the seat belt is what saved her life.”

As a result of the accident, Steidl spent two weeks in a coma and sustained multiple injuries, including swelling and bleeding of her brain, two broken arms, a broken sternum and broken ribs.

“When I woke from the coma, I had no memory of the accident,” says Steidl. “I woke up and the room was dark. I had no idea where I was, and when I tried to get out of bed to go to the bathroom, I fell to the floor. The nurses came in and told me that I had been in a terrible car accident and that I had been in a coma for two weeks. It was all very shocking to me.”

Thanks to the use of her seat belt and the quick response of area emergency responders, today Steidl has only a few reminders of the crash.
“I still don’t remember the accident or anything from my high school years and younger, but I am still very thankful to be alive,” comments Steidl. “I have some nerve damage in one of my hands and I am still recovering from the brain injuries. But I am back to work and planning to do a lot of traveling beginning next month.”
Steidl credits the accident for completely changing her life.
“I know I should have died, but I didn’t. I believe that I survived for a reason,” says Steidl. “I don’t know why I survived. But I know that because of the accident, I am going to live everyday of my life to the fullest.”

The next time you’re faced with the decision of wearing a seat belt, remember this statistic from the North Dakota Highway Patrol. In 2009, there were 140 fatalities; 83 of those 140 people were not wearing their seat belts. Fortunately, thanks to her seat belt, Steidl is alive today.