Auto Accidents and Fault
 

I was talking to someone today who got hit by a careless driver, they always seem to get hit by bad drivers every year and I suddenly realized that in the few accidents I have ever been in, they were all my fault. Guess I'm lucky like that. Then I figured this might be an interesting topic for a poll, to follow...

You are obviously a good defensive driver if you have avoided being hit by any of the many idiots out there.

In my teens and 20's, I was a God-awful driver, even by young adult standards. After I turned about 28 or 29 though, I've never been involved in another accident again.

I think I've only been in three accidents as a driver, and they were pretty much all the other person's fault. Only one required any car repairs, so maybe the other two don't even count.

1. Age of 16. In the McDonald's drivethrough, and a bus came through the wrong way trying to get into the lot. In backing up to avoid it, I scratched the side of the bus. One might say this one was my fault since I hit the other vehicle, but I only hit it while trying to avoid it hitting me worse. Minor scratch on the side of the bus, and we both shrugged and moved on.

2. Age of 18 or so. Leaving a parking lot. A drunk driver pulled into the lot, then inexplicably put the car in reverse and backed into my car while I was stopped. Minor damage, the other guy was arrested because he could barely stand up. Clearly his fault. This is the only wreck that had to be repaired since he dented in my door.

3. In February of this year, I was driving on a freeway in a rental car in Los Angeles when there was a wreck in front of me. I stopped and the person behind me almost stopped. She tapped my bumper, we looked at it, and I told her I had no issue with it as long as the rental car company didn't give me guff. It was just a tap and I wasn't even sure if there was damage or just dirt. Clearly her fault and the rental car company never said anything.

I was in one serious wreck as a passenger, and it was my driver's fault (a coworker). So my car was at fault but I was only the passenger saying, "NO NO NO! NO LEFT TURN! NO LEFT TURN!" right before the truck broadsided us.

I've never been in a car wreck in which I was the driver. I pay quite a bit of attention to how others are driving and drive defensively. When needed I like flying the **** past someone who can't stay in their lane while texting and make sure to never drive in someone's blind spot. Either speed up or slow down. It's amazing how many people don't do that one.

First accident ever? My fault. 1979

2nd accident - hit a cow that got out from a pasture through a damaged fence that some welfare coporate farmer failed to fix. The cow actually was hit in the opposite lane and fell into my lane where I came over a hill and hit it. Thought I hit somebody's engine block. 1997.

2013. 3rd accident. 70mph traffic came to halt on I-70 and I had to move to the inside shoulder to avoid a collision. Caught the right front of my car on the rear of a flatbed at a bout 25mph. No injury. No insurance claim. Fixed for 1500$.

I picked roughly 50/50.

2 - Mines
3 - Theirs

Only time i've ever been in accident involving another car, some truck cut me off in heavy traffic and i couldn't stop in time. I was able to veer to the side to avoid a bad collision. My passenger side fender caught his bumper.

That was the day i learned what composite plastic was.....

I've hydro-planned once on the freeway, and i've let the back end slip out from under me once as well while going hard around a corner.

I was the perpetrator of two rear-end collisions when I was younger. Both my fault, but luckily minimal damage. One of those "too fast, too close, shitcan'tstopfastenough" things.

No accidents at all since then where I was the driver. Other than the stupid ****ing deer that was too dumb to change direction even a hair and crashed into my passenger door while trying to cross the street. :shake: :shake:

I wouldn't say I'm a huge defensive driver -- not like I drive like a grandma or anything -- but I've driven a gazillion miles by this point in my life, and generally have good instincts and awareness etc.

Been driving for almost 30 years, never been in an accident while driving. How? 1) I don't like to drive so I don't do it much more than I have to. 2) Trust no one.

I rear ended an ambulance.

Yeah. I drive Defensively with a little Offense thrown in there. I'm hyper-vigilant and I will not stay in a dangerous situation.

This. If I look in my rearview and notice that the person behind me is texting and not paying attention....I'll move over and stay the **** away from them.

That's bad. My older daughter rear ended someone, and then got a speeding ticket later in the same day.

LMAO