alabamagal
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Post by alabamagal on Jul 1, 2016 10:31:10 GMT -5
My DS21 just seems to be an accident magnet. At 21 years, 8 months he has been in 5 accidents that involved 2 vehicle or more collisions with police involved.
Wednesday night was his most recent. He was at a stop light and car smashed into car behind him, which hit his car and his hit car in front of him. Totally not his fault. He was a little sore yesterday (says he feels like the day after a football game) and we are dealing with insurance issues. His car (actually belongs to me) is totalled.
Other accidents were when he was 6 years old (His Dad driving, minor damage), 8 years old (A friend was driving in our vehicle which was totaled and DS went to ER with concussion), 13 years (Sister driving, hit by beer truck, minor damage no injuries), 18 years old (DS driving, his fault, minor injuries to other driver)
So 5 accidents and only one was his fault. Does he have a sign over his head that says hit me?
I am 53 years old and been in 0 accidents.
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lexxy703
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Post by lexxy703 on Jul 1, 2016 10:50:50 GMT -5
I have been in 3 accidents. First when I was 16, my fault, both vehicles totaled, other driver seriously injured me moderately injured.
Second some girl sideswiped down my vehicle & kept going. I finally caught her at a red light. She said her vehicle didn't have damage so she didn't see why she needed to stop. No injuries. I wanted to punch her for being such an idiot but I refrained.
Third some jerk pulled out in front of me I slammed on the brakes & missed him by inches but the car behind me couldn't stop & nailed me. Moderate rear end damage for me, I imagine the other car was probably totaled. Just bumps & bruises for everyone. Original jerk left the scene.
I've had a few bumper bumps in parking lots with little or no damage.
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sesfw
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Post by sesfw on Jul 1, 2016 11:06:32 GMT -5
Hopefully DS is learning to be a defensive driver .......
I've been in one accident when I was 59. A jerk ran a red light as I was making a left turn. His private comment to me before the police arrived was he saw the light turn red but thought he could get through it before cross traffic started. He hit me going 45 and wiped out the right front fender on my Blazer. Totaled his PU. He told the police he went through a yellow light so I got the ticket for not yielding right of way. He was driving without insurance.
I took it to court and neither he nor the officer showed up so the charges were dropped. I then took him to small claims court and in the mandatory arbitration I gave up. I told him he was a liar and that karma would catch up with him.
It's too bad I'm not around him to see it.
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NomoreDramaQ1015
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Post by NomoreDramaQ1015 on Jul 1, 2016 11:25:55 GMT -5
His private comment to me before the police arrived was he saw the light turn red but thought he could get through it before cross traffic started. He hit me going 45 and wiped out the right front fender on my Blazer. Totaled his PU. He told the police he went through a yellow light so I got the ticket for not yielding right of way.
You must have been hit by the same guy I was. He was late for a medical student appointment and thought he could make the light. I was turning left to clear the intersection. He swerved to miss me so he took out my passenger side. I had THREE witnesses who testified to the cop that I was clearing the intersection and he ran a red light. He said that it was yellow and I was too shaken up to remember what color the light was when he hit me. So I got the ticket. I ended up going to court and having to take traffic school before I could get it dismissed. That's the only accident I've been in with another person. First accident was I scraped someone's truck when trying to park at the bank for the first time. Second was hitting a light pole while learning to drive. I was going to hit another car but my dad grabbed the wheel to prevent that from happening and steered us into the pole. So it's HIS fault I hit the pole. Yeah that's it.
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Jul 1, 2016 11:52:10 GMT -5
2, neither of them my fault. One I was rear ended. The other, someone made an illegal U turn and hit me.
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ArchietheDragon
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Post by ArchietheDragon on Jul 1, 2016 11:56:16 GMT -5
6 that I can remember.
a passenger in my cousins car when he was t-boned. a passenger in my friend's car when he rear ended someone on the highway when traffic stopped driver when I was rearended by a drunk driver 100yard after pulling out of my driver driver when I rearended someone when I was distracted by halloo ween scare scrows driver when I rearended someone who I thought pulled out at a stop sign, but didn't driver when I fell asleep at the wheel with the family in the car.
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tskeeter
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Post by tskeeter on Jul 1, 2016 12:27:48 GMT -5
My DS21 just seems to be an accident magnet. At 21 years, 8 months he has been in 5 accidents that involved 2 vehicle or more collisions with police involved. Wednesday night was his most recent. He was at a stop light and car smashed into car behind him, which hit his car and his hit car in front of him. Totally not his fault. He was a little sore yesterday (says he feels like the day after a football game) and we are dealing with insurance issues. His car (actually belongs to me) is totalled. Other accidents were when he was 6 years old (His Dad driving, minor damage), 8 years old (A friend was driving in our vehicle which was totaled and DS went to ER with concussion), 13 years (Sister driving, hit by beer truck, minor damage no injuries), 18 years old (DS driving, his fault, minor injuries to other driver) So 5 accidents and only one was his fault. Does he have a sign over his head that says hit me? I am 53 years old and been in 0 accidents. Sounds like your DS is statistically average. Auto insurance stats suggest the average driver is involved in a reportable accident once every four years. While this number sounds high, your personal accident history is unusual. In addition, traffic congestion gets worse every year, making accidents more likely. And the mileage we drive increases year after year, making accidents more likely.
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giramomma
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Post by giramomma on Jul 1, 2016 12:30:05 GMT -5
I've caused two accidents. For one, both cars were in various stages of park (don't ask). The other was just me driving poorly in winter conditions. I was also in an accident where some kid tapped my rear bumper. I don't even know that I'd call it an accident.
But, to be fair, I don't drive all that much. I put on like 400-500 miles a month on my car.
I was also not allowed to drive my mom's car in my late teens and early 20s. My dad took his car to work everyday. It didn't dawn on me to buy my own car, because I had no money to pay for it (ie, job)..and my savings was for college.
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Lizard Queen
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Post by Lizard Queen on Jul 1, 2016 12:40:51 GMT -5
I've done one bump with no damage, and totalled 2 cars. Someone crunched the corner of my unoccupied car before, and I've been in very minor accidents with my mom once and a bf once. I think that's it.
I seem to be a lot better at avoiding other cars running into me than the other way around. The accidents I caused were due to poor visibility of oncoming traffic, though.
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Tiny
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Post by Tiny on Jul 1, 2016 13:09:43 GMT -5
What are you considering an 'accident'?
I've bumped bumpers in parking lots - either I did the bumping or I was bumped. No damage. I've scrapped the rear panel of my car backing into my garage a couple of times of the last 20 years (Left a 'scuff' mark on the car - no dent). About 30 plus years ago I accidentally scrapped the rear fender of my mom's car along the side to the brick house - again - a scuffed rear panel (no dent) - no damage to the house.
the closest to an actual accident: I did leave a line/mark on the local hospital's mini-bus when I tried to squeeze between it and line of cars backed up at the local rail road crossing (the train had stopped - for 8 minutes). The mark was from my passenger side mirror - the mirror was fine - it had a quarter inch rub mark on it. I had no idea I had even touched the mini-bus - until the driver started yelling as I done passing it. Insurance took care of it - I would see the mini-bus often and I'm guessing they took it in for 'detailing' and had who ever washed it "buff" the line of 'rubber' off the finish.
I have a friend though, that's been in atleast 10 major auto accidents (5 trips to the hospital/5 totaled vehicles and then atleast 5 or more 'fender bender' type accidents on the street or in a parking lot that required police/tow truck). It's like she's an accident magnet.
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alabamagal
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Post by alabamagal on Jul 1, 2016 13:55:52 GMT -5
6 that I can remember. a passenger in my cousins car when he was t-boned. a passenger in my friend's car when he rear ended someone on the highway when traffic stopped driver when I was rearended by a drunk driver 100yard after pulling out of my driver driver when I rearended someone when I was distracted by halloo ween scare scrows driver when I rearended someone who I thought pulled out at a stop sign, but didn't driver when I fell asleep at the wheel with the family in the car. Telling my DS to please stay away from Archie!
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quince
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Post by quince on Jul 1, 2016 13:58:03 GMT -5
None so far, hope this persists. eek.
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tskeeter
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Post by tskeeter on Jul 1, 2016 17:20:45 GMT -5
What are you considering an 'accident'? I've bumped bumpers in parking lots - either I did the bumping or I was bumped. No damage. I've scrapped the rear panel of my car backing into my garage a couple of times of the last 20 years (Left a 'scuff' mark on the car - no dent). About 30 plus years ago I accidentally scrapped the rear fender of my mom's car along the side to the brick house - again - a scuffed rear panel (no dent) - no damage to the house. the closest to an actual accident: I did leave a line/mark on the local hospital's mini-bus when I tried to squeeze between it and line of cars backed up at the local rail road crossing (the train had stopped - for 8 minutes). The mark was from my passenger side mirror - the mirror was fine - it had a quarter inch rub mark on it. I had no idea I had even touched the mini-bus - until the driver started yelling as I done passing it. Insurance took care of it - I would see the mini-bus often and I'm guessing they took it in for 'detailing' and had who ever washed it "buff" the line of 'rubber' off the finish. I have a friend though, that's been in atleast 10 major auto accidents (5 trips to the hospital/5 totaled vehicles and then atleast 5 or more 'fender bender' type accidents on the street or in a parking lot that required police/tow truck). It's like she's an accident magnet. Not an accident magnet. Uses poor judgement and/ or takes chances. According to the National Safety Foundation, it takes an average of 600 unsafe acts for every accident. In my book, your friend is truly an accident going some place to happen. You don't ride in her car, do you?
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gacpa
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Post by gacpa on Jul 1, 2016 17:27:44 GMT -5
Alabamagal,
I am glad your son is only sore. Glad there were no serious injuries. I am 53 also and have been in one wreck, about 20 years ago. I was rear ended by a teen girl not paying attention to her driving. I had just bought my new car and it was smashed to smithereens. Thank goodness my son was not in his car seat in the back, he would have been seriously injured, he was just a little fella back then.
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NoNamePerson
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Post by NoNamePerson on Jul 1, 2016 17:36:44 GMT -5
Do we count the ones in every state??
I'll have to get back to you on this. I think I am the only person who knew insurance agents phone number by heart and when I said "Jeanette, this is NoName" she said oh my what has happened now
I think there is a chapter in the State Farm Manual dedicated to me.
ETA: I have actually had my car involved in major accident and I wasn't even there!!! My son also had his car involved in one while he was sitting inside watching TV. Oh lordy, I could go on forever. May get back and list them. Have to give thought back to when I was 14 in my first wreck.......
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mroped
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Post by mroped on Jul 1, 2016 18:33:03 GMT -5
-Once got hit on front passenger side by someone that run a stop sign. He claimed that he was doing 30( posted speed) but he pushed my pickup about 4' sideways with his Ford Tempo. 30 my ass! He took out my wheel! No injuries! - once I run of the road in the winter in my brand new pickup- 500 miles, 2 weeks old...December 13th!- damaged the driver front, no injuries. The whole family in the truck- 4 people on 3 seats with no seatbealts on! -backed up in some old junker jeep about 2 months ago. The lady sweeps into the parking lot while I'm slowly reversing and stops the car right behind me on my left corner to jump out and get soup from the fire company. She left her car in the midle of the parking lot!!! I paid for the repairs because I didn't wanna put up with idiots!
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msventoux
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Post by msventoux on Jul 1, 2016 20:14:59 GMT -5
Just one, a rollover accident when I was a teenager. I wasn't the driver and it happened on a fun-filled family trip. Yet one more reason I tried to get out of road trips...never worked. "It'll be fun! Let's all die together!"
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debthaven
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Post by debthaven on Jul 1, 2016 20:21:12 GMT -5
Alabama I'm so glad your son is OK! I know the money is a pain but thank Gd he was in a recent car that protected him. My DS2 is a bit the same, except that some of the accidents were his fault. At one point he lost his license (there's a point system here) and he lost all his points. Thank goodness he is finally much more cautious now. Even if the other accidents were not all his fault, sometimes you lose points anyway here, and although losing his license when he did was a royal PITA, it was probably not a bad thing. My kids who drive (DS1 and DS2) both started out telling me "they follow all the rules so they'll be fine" when they got their licences. New drivers just don't get the notion of extra caution or defensive driving at that age. I'm NOT saying that was that case with your son in this incident, obviously if he was hit from behind, two cars away, it wasn't his fault. I'm just talking in general. ETA: This said, at his age and at this point, I'd probably suggest that he pays for or contributes to his own car insurance, if he doesn't already. It may encourage him to drive better / differently, ie to be more proactive.
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TheOtherMe
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Post by TheOtherMe on Jul 1, 2016 21:40:10 GMT -5
I have ben rear ended twice.
In one a teenager hit me when I stopped because someone was backing out of a parking spot. Slow speed, so not much damage to me or the car.
Second was much worse. Woman rear ended me at probably 60 mph and my car hit car turning left in front of me. It was stopped. Woman had the guts to ask me why I stopped. My response was because the car in front of me had it's left turn signal on and was stopped. Other drivers each got a ticket. Guy my car hit didn't have his kid in a car seat.
Lots of damage to car and me.
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Sharon
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Post by Sharon on Jul 1, 2016 22:15:47 GMT -5
Lets see: 1. Passenger in friends car when she turned left in front of someone going straight at an intersection. No one hurt. 2. Women claimed she didn't want to rear end me so she put her van between my car and semi. Scrapping the sides of both of our cars. She of course was uninsured. 3. Drivers side was smashed in at the State Fair by a man who was doing a slow backup of a travel trailer. He didn't realize he had hit anything. Driver side door wouldn't even open. I was parked and not even in the car at the time. 4. The landscapers at work backed their trailer into my car damaging the front bumper. I was inside at work. 5. I rear ended a lady when distracted by DD who was about 3 or 4. She was crying because she thought our dog was going to die just like Grandma. Grandma had died 2 weeks prior and I had just dropped the dog off at the vets for something routine. Don't ever rear end a lawyer. She was claiming all types of injuries and wrote a huge thing about how her life had changed and she wasn't able to do all the things she used to do. This was part of the lawsuit she filed the day before the statue of limitations expired. They settled with her but she had only been to the doctors 3 times in 2 years.
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Knee Deep in Water Chloe
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Post by Knee Deep in Water Chloe on Jul 2, 2016 0:47:16 GMT -5
I'm on my phone, so I'll type out the stories later. One that I remember as a kid. Two in which I was driving. One XH was driving. One minor rear ending when DH was driving. One that involved a flying rock and no other cars, and I was driving. One that invoked me and a lack of parking brake and major pregnancy brain. One that involved lack of parking brake, no pregnancy brain. That's all I can remember right now. Seems like I'm missing one. I had a bad five years with at least 10 tickets. With those and one of the accidents, My license was restricted for 3 months from the hours of midnight to 5am. That was a serious wake up call for me. Plus, I was uninsurable for awhile.
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toomuchreality
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Post by toomuchreality on Jul 2, 2016 0:55:08 GMT -5
Too many! Only a few were my fault. Only one was my fault and involved another car/person. I almost hit the car in front of me about a week ago... I assume they were driving with both feet (one foot on the gas, the other foot on their brake). Their brake lights kept coming on, even when they weren't slowing down. I HATE driving behind people that do this! You can't tell when they are really stopping. It is SO annoying! When they really did stop, I almost ran in to them, cuz it took me a second to realize they were actually stopping.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 2, 2016 6:50:47 GMT -5
None as a kid. Did not get off to a good start as a new driver. Twice I left the car in Drive (that was in the 1970s before alarms prevented it) and it coasted into the neighbor's house. House had to be repaired. Once I picked up my brother at the golf course. As I was getting out of the parking lot he turned off the car radio. I turned it back on. He turned it off. Etc. I backed into a parked car and hit it hard enough the owner couldn't open the door.
Did much better after college (barely drove in college since I was on campus without a car, then took the bus to work for 3 years). Nothing that required my car be fixed. Hit from behind once, tapped a parked car last year. My worst was when I was working 70-hour weeks and just plain burned out; I changed lanes while someone was coming up behind me into that lane at a high speed and she sideswiped me. I'd crossed a solid line but wasn't cited. Her small sporty car had a fair amount of damage; mine had a few scrapes I didn't fix.
I try not to get too confident. I read lots of large loss reports when I was in the insurance business. You can be the safest driver in the world but if a tractor-trailer ahead of you jackknifes when you're going 60 mph, it's Game Over. It's partly luck or the grace of God, whatever your beliefs.
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thyme4change
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Post by thyme4change on Jul 2, 2016 10:42:43 GMT -5
One. A pedestrian ran into the street against the light at a major intersection. She was trying to catch the bus. There was a big van - like a work van with no windows (not like a mini-van) in the left had turn lane, so I didn't see her coming. She just popped out right in front of my car.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 2, 2016 12:54:48 GMT -5
One when I was 17 or 18. I pulled out in front of someone at an intersection that was really hard to see. It wasn't that bad, but the people were JUST coming home from getting their car repaired from another accident. Nothing as an adult except a lot of deer hits. I guess I've been pretty lucky because I'm driving all the time. I hate the city though, I think for sure if I had to drive there all the time I would have more.
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mrnewengland
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Post by mrnewengland on Jul 2, 2016 23:46:02 GMT -5
It gets better as you're more experienced. That's why rental car companies don't rent to people under 25.
I was was in a bunch when I was younger but as I got more experienced and took less risks (again with age) I haven't been in one I years... besides when someone rear ended me at a stop sign.
It sucks that you've been in so many and I'm sure you're insurance is eating more of your budget than you want but it'll get better.
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violagirl
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Post by violagirl on Jul 3, 2016 7:08:31 GMT -5
Only one accident was my fault. Rear ended a guy when someone in front of him stopped abruptly and I didn't stop in time. I put on brakes so hard that the nose of my Civic went under his SUV, put a small scratch on his gas tank. Totally crumpled the front of my car.
One accident as a passenger, guy turned left in front of us. We had the green light. Nobody hurt but the car was totalled. We spun his truck around.
Another accident as a passenger, driver was eating a salad (do not eat salad and drive!) and had a habit of being afraid of the centre line on rural roads. I saw the ditch coming but didn't get a warning out fast enough. We sailed over the edge of a driveway and got wedged in the ditch. Rural fire dept. was quite happy to use the jaws of life to get us out. Friend was annoyed because she had just filled the gas tank. Pretty sore back for a few weeks. Unfortunately since I saw the accident was going to happen, I tensed up so when the car dropped 4 feet into the ditch my back did not like it.
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Phoenix84
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Post by Phoenix84 on Jul 3, 2016 8:50:15 GMT -5
I suppose it depends on how liberal we're being with the term "car accident." 1. Growing up, my mom had to swerve and hit a car in another lane in a side lone collision, obviously she was driving. No one injured. 2. In high school, my mom hit a dog that ran out into the road while driving me home from karate. 3. In my early 20's, I took a left turn where I couldn't see what was coming due to a big truck across the intersection, and I a hit a car. My fault, no injuries for anyone. The worst accident I've been in. 4. I hit a bollard (cement pole) coming off base because the sun was in my eyes.
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ginpin
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Post by ginpin on Jul 3, 2016 9:52:00 GMT -5
1. Passenger in my dad's '69 Charger. Some kids in a truck rear-ended us, pushed us into the car ahead of us. They ran. 2. I hit the blow-dryer inside a car wash. Dented the fender on my mom's truck. 3. I scraped the side of my HUGE Chrysler going through a narrow opening. Took the mirror off. 4. Rear-ended a car in my turbo Daytona. I only had the car for a week, and wasn't experienced driving front wheel drive in the snow. 5. Hydroplaned on the highway in the same car. There had been a cloud burst that flooded the highway. 6. Was sideswiped in my Stratus on the highway. Guy had no license, no insurance, and wrong plates on vehicle. He skipped the court hearing. 7. I rear-ended a guy at a right hand turn/yield. The guy started, I looked left to clear, and he stopped. I was doing approximately five MPH when I hit him, but he must of had a bad back. He got $70,000 worth of back surgery. 8. I was rear-ended by a drunk. He was arrested, but made bail then skipped.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 3, 2016 10:04:55 GMT -5
Was a passenger in my buddys car many years ago when a van came up behind us on a bridge and was traveling so fast at least 6 vehicles were crunched, we were at the end of it and were fine, a kid in the van died later.
Was again a passenger in a different friends car and rear ended at a stoplight, had a bruise on my knee but otherwise fine.
The one wreck I was in as a driver a woman ran a stop sign and I nearly avoided hitting her but just barely clipped the rear of her car (I was fine). Her insurer Allstate decided to fight it, I understand from my insurance carrier at the time that Allstate is known for fighting every so many no matter how open and shut the case. A year later they finally lost the case and I got 90% of my deductible back. In Illinois it was explained to me if the other insurer fights it you are hit with 10% fault for even being on the road. I will never do business with Allstate.
There have been several close calls where I was paying attention and able to avoid getting hit, I think I have a sign on my car that says "pull out in front of me".
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