The brave folks in the medical professions must stomach a lot to care for the rest of us. In the process, they also learn a ton about life and human nature. Retired firefighter and paramedic Benjamin Bender admits, “I have seen …like…whew… a whole lot of people die.” And these unfortunate souls’ final words illuminate how having the right of way is not the same as surviving the day.

The second most common final word Bender recalls is heartbreaking: “Mom…”

Furthermore, the paramedic expects “Mom” would have been the winner if most of the deaths he saw weren’t while responding to an auto collision. The most common final phrase could save your life.

“I had the right of way.”

And that’s not all. Dying drivers’ claim of, “I had the right of way” usually wasn’t some hollow, road-rager claim. According to Bender “Most of the people that died saying ‘I had the right of way’ did in fact have the right of way upon investigation.”

Yikes. So much for safety through following the rules.

I’m no paramedic. But I learned this lesson myself the first summer I was riding a motorcycle. I signaled, prepared to turn right off the main road, and saw an SUV trying to turn onto the main road. I remembered Driver’s Ed: I was in the main lane of travel, I had the right of way. But luckily I was covering the brakes, because the knucklehead floored it and cut me off. I locked up the rear wheel, swore, and then pulled over and tried to steady my nerves. I had been inches from a meeting with EMTs like Bender himself.

These insights on final words come from Bender’s answer to a Quora question on things “civilians” might not know. He also urges drivers to pull off the roadway (if possible) once they’ve exchanged information after an accident. You can read his full quote on final words below:

“As Marine, EMT-Paramedic, Firefighter and Cop I have seen …like…whew… a whole lot of people die. I’m not counting the bijillion dead bodies I have seen, carried, rolled and had to touch, examine or whatever but people actually dying right in my presence. By far there are two most common things people say as their last words before dying (in this order). 1. ‘I had the right of way…’ 2. ‘Mom….’ . I’m sure the order would be reversed if I didn’t encounter so much death after auto collisions. Further most of the people that died saying ‘I had the right of way’ did in fact have the right of way upon investigation.”

-Benjamin Bender via Quora