Ashley planned to drive from New York to California to attend college. However, shortly after departing, she became uncertain about which roads to take and called her parents for assistance with directions. Because she was distracted, she drove off the side of the road and grazed the front bumper of her car on the guardrail. Fortunately, the car was not too badly damaged, so she continued on her journey. Although she ultimately made it to California, she had a lingering fear of guardrails for several months following her experience.