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Ever been involved in a Car Accident?

Started by KEK Inc., June 02, 2012, 08:24:59 PM

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OracleUsr

Quote from: Brandon on February 09, 2013, 11:11:41 PM
Quote from: OracleUsr on February 09, 2013, 10:45:59 PM
2012 Toyota Camry Hybrid.  The day I drove the car off the lot, 5/17/12, I pulled into a Walgreens to take pictures to send to my friends and family.  I had a few problems adjusting to the engine, as I had only driven a hybrid once, so I pulled forward, and pulled back out.  I hear this loud snap and crunch.  I stop the car.  Another car, parked perpendicular to mine, had pulled out at the same time.  I looked in horror as I saw the damage:  the other car had ripped my rear bumper cover completely off at one side.  The police said the other driver was at fault, but the insurance company said otherwise and made me pay for my own repair.  The damage was heavy; $1000, half of which I had to pay as a deductible.  Even worse, the temporary repairs did not hold and I drove some distance with the cover dragging on the road.  Thankfully a local Toyota dealer did the repairs and it was like brand new again.

Rule of thumb: if the other guy is deemed at fault by the police and gets the ticket, do not ever report it to your insurance company.  His/her insurance company is to pick it up 100%.  My agent was nice enough to give me this bit of advice.

Would have loved to, but the police said it was not a reportable incident because it didn't do enough damage, so it was my word against the other drivers'
Anti-center-tabbing, anti-sequential-numbering, anti-Clearview BGS FAN


corco

$1000 worth of damage wasn't sufficient damage? Geez, I'm never going to North Carolina in a car.

US81

Quote from: deanej on June 03, 2012, 12:26:55 PM
I don't understand the accident vs crash vs collision terminology debate.  Accident does not mean "random" like my driver's ed textbook would have you believe.  It means "not intentional".  I doubt very much that people involved in accidents intended to hit another car.

"Accident" implies to some that the crash was a "random" "act of God." Most involve some degree of negligence on someone's part -- distraction, unsafe speed for conditions, following too closely, driving after having ingested substances, etc -- and were therefore preventable. "Crash" and "collision" describe what occurred without ascribing either blame or a lack of blame.

jeffandnicole

I had started working in Trenton, NJ in 1998.  Nearly on a daily basis I see some sort of accident along my route - sometimes minor stuff where info's exchanged, and sometimes way more major.  I said to myself, one of these days, I'll be one of those vehicles.  Having said that...

6/15/00 - 9 days before my wedding.  I'm on NJ 42 approaching the infamous 295/42/76 interchange.  It's raining.  Traffic's congested.  I slow to a stop.  Somehow the gal in the F-150 behind me left a large gap, sped up, then skidded on the wet roadway into my Nissan Sentra.  We both pull to the shoulder.  She's on her phone crying to her hubby or whomever.  I call the police.  Within literally 30 seconds, one of NJ's Emergency Service Patrol vehicles pulls up.  The cop pulls up a few moments later (the police barracks were literally on the other side of the sound barrier from the highway).  My car's rear end is seriously messed up, but I was able to drive it away, all the way up to Trenton.  Didn't have another person tailgate me that day! :-)  I was fine, although I had to spend much of my honeymoon dealing with insurance companies.  The car was declared totaled, but the repair shop said they'll fix it for the money the insurance company gave me.  Took them nearly a month, mostly because they had no reason to rush (grrr....).  She was obviously at fault.  I went to court and she was there with her entire family (young kids, etc).  I knew she wanted the sympathy vote.  Knowing how NJ courts work, I told the prosecutor that if she wants the ticket downgraded to a no-point violation, I'm fine with that as long as she got the maximum fine (which was like $200 or so).  Since there was no other reason for me to stick around, I left.  I never found out what her penalty was.

My wife's major accident, around 2003: On Rt. 42 again (you know, I never thought of the coincidence there, probably because it was on the Jersey freeway portion, not the limited access portion), a deer jumps in front of her.  She swerves to the right, gets on someone's front yard, swerves left, and slams into a telephone pole, splitting it a good 15' up.  The deer then runs back by her, and we're pretty sure it laughed at her.  She was in a Sebring Convertible, and is a die-hard animal lover.  Overall, emotionally wise, she was probably better off hitting that pole than the deer.

The what-could've-been-a-fatal-accident-that-wasn't: Shortly after we were married, I left home to go to work in the morning.  At the first major intersection, I have the right-of-way; the intersecting street has a stop sign.  The intersecting car stopped, then for whatever reason pulled out directly in front of me.  I SLAMMED on my brakes, and very quite possibly touched her driver's side door.  I backed up, she completed her left turn and pulled over.  I made a u-turn in the intersection.  She was going to the high school at that intersection, so I told her to go to the parking lot so we can exchange info, even though there wasn't any apparent damage.  She was scared shitless...I wasn't exactly very happy either. A few days later she called me to make sure I was OK, and that I wasn't going to report it. I'm of course a lot more calm by this point, and promised her it wasn't going to be reported.

A.J. Bertin

I've been in a few accidents in my driving years:

4/13/05 - I was driving to work in the morning along eastbound I-196 in Grandville, Michigan ... in a spot that's notorious for backing up during the morning commute. I was in the left lane and had looked down at the radio for about 3 seconds. Out of the corner of my eye I saw traffic in the right lane moving a bit faster, and in those 3 seconds, I somehow decided it was safe enough for me to glance down at the radio. WRONG. The traffic ahead of me had stopped. I suddenly looked up and realized that it was too late for me to stop without rear-ending him, which ended up happening. The guy in front of me also hit the car in front of him. I got a ticket, and so did the guy in front of me. I was prepared to pay my fine (not to mention my insurance deductible) and be done with it. Well, the guy I rear-ended fought his ticket in court, so I had to go and testify what happened. I had the feeling his driving record wasn't very good.

1/24/06 - (Another accident in which I was at fault... and another accident in which I was rushing to get to work on time.) The company I worked at back then (in Walker, Michigan) is at a corner with a traffic light. When you turn north into the intersection, you are turning into the company's driveway. I was eastbound, approaching the traffic light, and getting to turn left (north) into the driveway. Well, the roads were kinda bad that morning and it was slick. I was in the center lane and the light turned yellow. There was a car coming westbound toward me, but I could have sworn he was slowing down to stop. Stupid me... I pulled out in front of him because I "assumed" he would stop. Well, I think he tried to stop but couldn't stop in time because of the ice. He clipped the driver-rear corner of my bumper. At first it looked like he was going to just drive away. After I pulled into the driveway, I turned around to follow him/chase him a little bit. I can't remember if we ended up connecting or if eventually drove away. There was no police report involved, but I had to pay my deductible again. My car was fixed in a few days.

10/30/07 - Driving home from work in downtown Grand Rapids on westbound I-196. We were in stop-and-go traffic, and a young girl rear-ended me. No major damage... just a few dents to the bumper. I called 911, but they told me the police would not go out there if the damage seemed like it would be less than $1,000. I decided to take it to the body shop to get fixed, and I don't think I had to pay my deductible.

2/25/12 - I was down in Kalamazoo MI after just visiting my partner's parents. He and I were driving separately because he was hauling some furniture in a U-Haul out of his deceased grandmother's house. Anyway, I was on a busy stretch of S. Westnedge Ave. near the mall (the main north-south thoroughfare in the Kalamazoo area). A young girl was driving what appeared to be her parents' sedan and had two or three of her teenage friends with her. She wasn't paying attention and rear-ended me. The damage to my bumper was very minimal, and I didn't even bother going to a repair shop. (I ended up buying a new vehicle 3 months later so I really didn't care anymore.)
-A.J. from Michigan

1995hoo

Quote from: A.J. Bertin on March 21, 2013, 12:52:40 PM
I've been in a few accidents in my driving years:

4/13/05 - I was driving to work in the morning along eastbound I-196 in Grandville, Michigan ... in a spot that's notorious for backing up during the morning commute. I was in the left lane and had looked down at the radio for about 3 seconds. Out of the corner of my eye I saw traffic in the right lane moving a bit faster, and in those 3 seconds, I somehow decided it was safe enough for me to glance down at the radio. WRONG. The traffic ahead of me had stopped. I suddenly looked up and realized that it was too late for me to stop without rear-ending him, which ended up happening. The guy in front of me also hit the car in front of him. I got a ticket, and so did the guy in front of me. I was prepared to pay my fine (not to mention my insurance deductible) and be done with it. Well, the guy I rear-ended fought his ticket in court, so I had to go and testify what happened. I had the feeling his driving record wasn't very good.

....

So what happened in court when you went to testify?
"You know, you never have a guaranteed spot until you have a spot guaranteed."
—Olaf Kolzig, as quoted in the Washington Times on March 28, 2003,
commenting on the Capitals clinching a playoff spot.

"That sounded stupid, didn't it?"
—Kolzig, to the same reporter a few seconds later.

A.J. Bertin

Quote from: 1995hoo on March 21, 2013, 01:49:24 PM
Quote from: A.J. Bertin on March 21, 2013, 12:52:40 PM
I've been in a few accidents in my driving years:

4/13/05 - I was driving to work in the morning along eastbound I-196 in Grandville, Michigan ... in a spot that's notorious for backing up during the morning commute. I was in the left lane and had looked down at the radio for about 3 seconds. Out of the corner of my eye I saw traffic in the right lane moving a bit faster, and in those 3 seconds, I somehow decided it was safe enough for me to glance down at the radio. WRONG. The traffic ahead of me had stopped. I suddenly looked up and realized that it was too late for me to stop without rear-ending him, which ended up happening. The guy in front of me also hit the car in front of him. I got a ticket, and so did the guy in front of me. I was prepared to pay my fine (not to mention my insurance deductible) and be done with it. Well, the guy I rear-ended fought his ticket in court, so I had to go and testify what happened. I had the feeling his driving record wasn't very good.

....

So what happened in court when you went to testify?

The more I think about it, the more I remember that I was not called to the witness stand or anything. I was just there in case they needed to ask me questions, and I'm pretty sure they did not. I think the guy lost his fight and still had to pay the ticket (and maybe incur a couple points on his driving record). If I would have been called up front to answer questions, I would have just been honest and said, "Hey... the whole thing was my fault." But they didn't ask me anything.
-A.J. from Michigan

A.J. Bertin

I can't believe I forgot to mention the very first accident I was ever in!

8/4/00 - This was an exciting day because my brother and I drove down to the Cedar Point for the day from our home in the northern suburbs of Detroit. (In case anyone isn't familiar with it, Cedar Point is a huge amusement park with lots and lots of roller coasters. Being in the hot sun and walking all around the park can be very exhausting.) Well, it's about a 2- or 3-hour drive from Utica MI to Sandusky OH. I was driving my dad's car: a '93 Ford Taurus.

My brother and I left early in the morning, got to the park by around 10 a.m., stayed at the park until about 7:30 p.m. We stopped for dinner somewhere in Sandusky before continuing on home. It didn't occur to me how tired I really was. Well, around 10 p.m. we were headed northbound on I-275 near the Detroit suburb of Romulus. My brother had fallen asleep in the passenger seat, and then I fell asleep behind the wheel. All of a sudden, BAM! The side of the car slammed into a guard rail. We were definitely jolted awake. I stopped a moment later to regain my composure. A guy who witnessed it came up to make sure we were okay. I then got off at the next exit, pulled into a gas station, and called my dad. The passenger-side door was jammed shut and there was a huge dent all along the side of the car. After we told my parents what happened, they called the police, but the police never came. I was too shaken up to drive the rest of the way home, so my parents drove out about an hour to where we were to drive home. My dad was able to fix the door but didn't bother taking it to a body shop for the dents. That car eventually became the first car I had on my own while I was in Kalamazoo going to college, but my dad eventually got rid of it sometime in '03 or '04.

That was a scary experience for sure.
-A.J. from Michigan

kphoger

In my very early days of learning how to drive, I side-swiped a tree in a parking lot.  It was at a municipal park, and I was doing a U turn to get back to the street; I thought I had room enough to complete the turn, but hit the tree instead.

Also in high school, I hit a parked car in the school parking lot in the evening.  I don't even remember how I did it, but I ran right into the back of a perpendicular-parked car at very slow speed.  It dented the front bumper of the car (my mom's).  I never said anything about it, and they didn't notice the dent for a few days.  By that time, we had hit a deer on the highway in the same car, but had had the chance to slow down to about 20 mph first (the deer got up and we drove away).  Later, they noticed the dent in the bumper and attributed it to the deer; I didn't argue.
Keep right except to pass.  Yes.  You.
Visit scenic Orleans County, NY!
Male pronouns, please.

Quote from: Philip K. DickIf you can control the meaning of words, you can control the people who must use them.

NWI_Irish96

Reviving this thread after my unfortunate day.

I was on a highway clinching trip in Racine/Walworth Counties in Wisconsin. I was WB on WI 50 approaching Delavan. At the junction with CTH F, a very old pickup truck pulled out in front of me. I could have slammed on the breaks, but I mistakenly believed that he was going to hold in the left turn lane and then slot in behind me. That is not, in fact, what he did and he proceeded into my lane and sideswiped me. The exterior damage was not severe, but after the police came and took a report and I started on my way, I noticed that the alignment/suspension were definitely out of whack (out of whack is as technical as my car knowledge gets). I hobbled home, going 45 mph most of the way, worried that something would break at any moment but did eventually make it home.

I think my 2014 CX-5 is cursed. I got rear-ended while at a stoplight in 2017, got hit while parked in a garage in 2018, and now this. I doubt it's totaled, but I'm really hoping for it as I'm ready to move on.
Indiana: counties 100%, highways 100%
Illinois: counties 100%, highways 61%
Michigan: counties 100%, highways 56%
Wisconsin: counties 86%, highways 23%

jgb191

Easter weekend 1998 on a Saturday night.  I was driving back home to Corpus Christi from Houston on US 59 and was almost killed by a drunk driver in the town of El Campo.  Thankfully I only suffered a fractured left arm (humerus) and fractured left knee (tibial area), and a burned left wrist; I was airlifted by helicopter back to Houston and resided at the Hermann Medical Center for surgeries and spent the next two months on a wheelchair while on physical therapy.  The four other relatives in my vehicle all escaped with minor scars and bruises and were taken to the nearby clinics and treated and released the next morning.  With my high school graduation coming up the next month at the end of May, I was home-schooled for the remainder of my senior year; my teachers and several students would visit me at home to go over the classes.  And being left-handed, I could not write anything so most of my assignments I typed in short answers on printing paper with my right hand, which remained undamaged.  On graduation night, I was wheeled across the stage by our class valedictorian to be handed my diploma.  I was finally able to walk independently again in mid-June; and I felt fully healed/normal again by my first semester in college that fall.

The other driver of the Ford Transit van was heavily intoxicated and without yielding/stopping, crossed the southbound US 59 lanes to get to a gas station and was slammed by my car.  From my point of view, it was nighttime and as I approached Divide Street in El Campo going the legal speed limit at that time (65 MPH), the large van pulled up right in front of me with no time to brake, then the next thing I knew when I regained consciousness there were emergency vehicles all around me informing me of what transpired.  I was told the drunk driver ran away on foot but was eventually found and apprehended hours later.

From that day onward, I never took anything for granted while driving.  I always approached each and every intersection carefully scanning both sides even when I have the right-of-way.  What still upsets me and even more so scares me to this day is that my state isn't tough enough on drunk drivers, especially repeat offenders.  I hear from a number of people with a DUI on their record that they were allowed to drive again in less than a year, which is very unsettling.
We're so far south that we're not even considered "The South"

index

I've hit a deer and a chicken. The chicken actually caused more damage than the deer. Both left my car without much damage.
I love my 2010 Ford Explorer.



Counties traveled

JoePCool14

I didn't think I was going to have to post in this thread like this, but I guess with all the mileage I've been putting on, it was inevitable.

I was out yesterday in Grant County, Wisconsin, also doing some route clinching. My goal was to get the final remaining segments of US-61 and WI-80 to clinch the entire county as I was very close. I managed to do that, but shortly after heading into Iowa County to head back south, as dusk was setting in, I hit a deer. I braked slightly before impact which helped at least a bit, even if it was only to save me from potential injury. I was not physically harmed, but now I was about 40 miles away from my apartment, in the middle of rural Wisconsin as night was falling, unsure of whether my car would hold up. The front right area was well damaged.

Thankfully, despite some loose pieces, the car did make it, though I drove 10-20 mph slower than usual in case something went wrong or even that I had another deer encounter. Now we wait to see if the damage is too expensive to repair and it's written off. I really hope not, that car has been great even though I've done many stupid things driving in it. Another one to add to the list unfortunately.

I'm grateful to be here to type this though. If you ever have to be out on the road at dusk in the Midwest, just slow down. The 10 mph slower speed and higher awareness might just save yourself the hassle that I caused.

Or better yet, don't go route clinching at stupid hours, especially alone and without proper planning and awareness.

:) Needs more... :sombrero: Not quite... :bigass: Perfect.
JDOT: We make the world a better place to drive.
Travel Mapping | 60+ Clinches | 260+ Traveled | 8000+ Miles Logged

elsmere241

The most recent one (I think spring 2018) I was on I-95 south in Pennsylvania just before I-476, and an accident scene distracted me, so I didn't slow down in time and rear-ended someone.  My car was totaled.

I had two accidents in one week in December 2002.  The first one I was at fault - I was coming over a bridge kind of fast and made a right turn, not seeing that someone (a state senator's wife) was stopped, and waiting to merge.  Later that week (in the same car, I had it taped up waiting to get it fixed) I was coming out of a shopping center.  The light turned green, and the pickup truck in front of me hit the gas, but was in reverse and plowed into me.  The driver shifted into drive and took off.

In February 1997, I went exploring down a semi-paved road in NW Arizona, curious as to whether there was a connection across Lake Mohave to the other side in Arizona.  It got dark right about where the road ended at the entrance to Lake Mead NRA.  I went around in circles a little bit looking for the road back (the smart thing to do would have been to turn the keys off and spend the night) but I mistook a path for a wash and plowed into it.  It took me a day and a half to reach some semblance of civilization, but the first trailer I came to, the folks there took me in and towed the car in.  It was totaled - I'd put a piston through a valve.  (And the insurance wouldn't pay on it.)

I've had a few other scrapes along the way, but nothing recent.

SkyPesos

Haven't been involved in one myself yet (and hopefully never), though been in one where my parents were involved. Most memorable part of this accident for me is that I found out about one way how enhanced mile markers are useful. Parents had 14 year old me do the 911 call for some reason, and because we were stopped on the left shoulder, the dispatcher had me look for the closest blue 0.1 mile marker in the median (varies by location, but that's what it's like here in Cincinnati), and tell them the number on it, so the cops can find our location more easily.

roadman65

Sounds like the opening line to a lawyer commercial on radio or TV. :-D
Every day is a winding road, you just got to get used to it.

Sheryl Crowe

snowc

Quote from: corco on February 10, 2013, 11:54:49 AM
$1000 worth of damage wasn't sufficient damage? Geez, I'm never going to North Carolina in a car.
My father only had to pay $500 for his $5000 damage to his slightly new 2014 Toyota Corolla. Got hit by a deer.
Bryce

Scott5114

uncontrollable freak sardine salad chef

formulanone

#68
Quote from: Scott5114 on May 18, 2022, 01:01:22 AM
Quote from: snowc on May 17, 2022, 11:22:12 AM
Got hit by a deer.

Huh, that doesn't happen often.

I did, back in December 2020. I was on US 431 just north of Springfield, Tennessee and a lone deer stepped out onto the edge of the road. There was no shoulder, so I slowed down to 25-30, thinking I'd just stop for it or just verge slightly over the center line, if possible and necessary.

Just as I was in front of it, giving it a little room, the deer ran anyway! It butted up against the car between the passenger-side doors, giving it a good hollow crunch sound, which surprised the heck out of me! I slowed down, but without any shoulder to pull over for another 500 feet or so, I watched from the rear view as it sprang back up and limped back over to the shoulder. The car (a rental) suffered no damage, just a superficial mark or two.

Thus, the only time I've hit a deer was when it tried to T-bone me, or as some would say, "a racing incident".

Rothman

Quote from: formulanone on May 18, 2022, 07:53:54 AM
Quote from: Scott5114 on May 18, 2022, 01:01:22 AM
Quote from: snowc on May 17, 2022, 11:22:12 AM
Got hit by a deer.

Huh, that doesn't happen often.

I did, back in December 2020. I was on US 431 just north of Springfield, Tennessee and a lone deer stepped out onto the edge of the road. There was no shoulder, so I slowed down to 25-30, thinking I'd just stop for it or just verge slightly over the center line, if possible and necessary.

Just as I was in front of it, giving it a little room, the deer ran anyway! It butted up against the car between the passenger-side doors, giving it a good hollow crunch sound, which surprised the heck out of me! I slowed down, but without any shoulder to pull over for another 500 feet or so, I watched from the rear view as it sprang back up and limped back over to the shoulder. The car (a rental) suffered no damage, just a superficial mark or two.

Thus, the only time I've hit a deer was when it tried to T-bone me, or as some would say, "a racing incident".
Yep, I knew someone that had a deer run into the side of their car as well in northern WI.  Did some damage, too.
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position(s) of NYSDOT.

1995hoo

I think Scott5114 was being sarcastic. At least, I assume he was.
"You know, you never have a guaranteed spot until you have a spot guaranteed."
—Olaf Kolzig, as quoted in the Washington Times on March 28, 2003,
commenting on the Capitals clinching a playoff spot.

"That sounded stupid, didn't it?"
—Kolzig, to the same reporter a few seconds later.

index

#71
Quote from: Rothman on May 18, 2022, 07:59:13 AM
Quote from: formulanone on May 18, 2022, 07:53:54 AM
Quote from: Scott5114 on May 18, 2022, 01:01:22 AM
Quote from: snowc on May 17, 2022, 11:22:12 AM
Got hit by a deer.

Huh, that doesn't happen often.

I did, back in December 2020. I was on US 431 just north of Springfield, Tennessee and a lone deer stepped out onto the edge of the road. There was no shoulder, so I slowed down to 25-30, thinking I'd just stop for it or just verge slightly over the center line, if possible and necessary.

Just as I was in front of it, giving it a little room, the deer ran anyway! It butted up against the car between the passenger-side doors, giving it a good hollow crunch sound, which surprised the heck out of me! I slowed down, but without any shoulder to pull over for another 500 feet or so, I watched from the rear view as it sprang back up and limped back over to the shoulder. The car (a rental) suffered no damage, just a superficial mark or two.

Thus, the only time I've hit a deer was when it tried to T-bone me, or as some would say, "a racing incident".
Yep, I knew someone that had a deer run into the side of their car as well in northern WI.  Did some damage, too.

Actually, when I did hit that deer I mentioned earlier, it technically hit me. I was on US 221 in Crossnore late at night and I saw a deer on the road. I slowed down, honked, and it ran off the road into the woods by the edge of the road, so I sped back up, then the dipshit ran into the side of my car.

I know that they get dazzled by headlights but I don't know if there's any explanation for deer being that stupid. How do you see something you successfully avoid, dodge it, watch it come for you, then run straight into the side of it?
I love my 2010 Ford Explorer.



Counties traveled

kphoger

Quote from: 1995hoo on May 18, 2022, 08:06:55 AM
I think Scott5114 was being sarcastic. At least, I assume he was.

That doesn't sound like something he'd do.
Keep right except to pass.  Yes.  You.
Visit scenic Orleans County, NY!
Male pronouns, please.

Quote from: Philip K. DickIf you can control the meaning of words, you can control the people who must use them.

kphoger

Quote from: index on May 18, 2022, 08:27:51 AM
I know that they get dazzled by headlights but I don't know if there's any explanation for deer being that stupid. How do you see something you successfully avoid, dodge it, watch it come for you, then run straight into the side of it?

I'm no zoologist, but whitetail deer's predators max out at around 40 mph, so my guess would be that they simply aren't able to accurately judge the motion of things traveling faster than that.
Keep right except to pass.  Yes.  You.
Visit scenic Orleans County, NY!
Male pronouns, please.

Quote from: Philip K. DickIf you can control the meaning of words, you can control the people who must use them.

GaryV

Quote from: index on May 18, 2022, 08:27:51 AM
I know that they get dazzled by headlights but I don't know if there's any explanation for deer being that stupid. How do you see something you successfully avoid, dodge it, watch it come for you, then run straight into the side of it?
They took lessons from squirrels?



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