Many of us spend so much time driving that we forget just how dangerous it really is.

If you think about it for a moment, though, you’ll realize that driving is one of the riskiest things anyone can do. Despite advances in safety technology, car accidents still account for a huge percentage of deaths in the U.S. every year.

Usually, you can stay out of trouble by driving carefully. Sometimes, though, you find yourself as the target of a freak accident or twist of fate, like Redditor sames6840‘s friend did a few years back.

Sames6840 said his friend called out of work and sent him these pictures to explain why. That’s a piece of a semitruck that fell off onto the highway and was kicked up by another car.

Reddit / sames6840

That piece of metal then flew at a high speed straight through his friend’s windshield.

Reddit / sames6840

The only thing that saved his friend’s life was the tough-as-nails steering wheel. It deflected the piece of metal.

Reddit / sames6840

While his friend survived unscathed, the person sitting in the passenger seat received a small, but nasty head wound.

Reddit / sames6840

(source Reddit)

That looks like it hurt, but it’s much better than having your face caved in from a flying piece of metal on the road.