SS:Car Accident

[Kevster]

Mrs. Kevster and I were in a car accident today. I was driving us in my 2dr Honda Accord to the Torrance Home Depot at about 3:15 this afternoon. We were on Artesia Blvd doing just under 35 mph when this woman driving a 99 Ford Explorer runs a red light in the intersection I am about to enter. She stops in my lane and I have nowhere to go since there is a car to my left side. I hit my brakes and tried to swerve a little but there wasn't much I could do. My Honda went under the explorer and was pretty badly damaged in the front end. You can see pics of the damage here (http://home1.gte.net/res0v5s2/honda1.jpg) and here. (http://home1.gte.net/res0v5s2/honda2.jpg) Her Explorer was only lightly damaged (http://home1.gte.net/res0v5s2/wreck2.jpg) and from the looks of things she got off pretty lightly. :angry: You can see my skid marks in the intersection (http://home1.gte.net/res0v5s2/intersection.jpg) (middle of the picture) that show I didn't have much warning. Mrs. Kevster and I were both wearing our seat belts but she got knocked on the top of her head on the car ceiling because she was turned and reaching backward for something when this occurred (she's also somewhat tall).

The Redondo Beach PD was there in about 45 seconds - we had just passed a cruiser going the opposite way on Artesia when this happened. I had a ton of witnesses for this and I happened to have my digital camera in the trunk (I forget who it was that advised everyone to have a camera in their car for just such an occurance - thanks to whoever it was because I make sure of that now!). As for the damage, I had multiple fluids leaking from my car afterward including coolant (radiator was pushed back and down), battery acid (battery was fractured in at least 2 cells) and wiper fluid (reservoir was smashed). I had it towed because of the leaks since I didn't want to try and drive it and cause more damage to it.

As for the police and the other driver, this is where it got interesting. First of all, she was driving her boyfriend's explorer with a suspended license and a bench warrant for her arrest because of a failure to appear for another accident/citation. She lied to the police about her license and her insurance, so I don't even know if she's insured (the explorer is, but it's covered by AIS so I'm thinking it's bottom-of-the-barrel minimum coverage). The Redondo Beach PD got all the information collected and got 2 eyewitness accounts of the accident (both definitely in my favor). They gave me a copy of all the information, the incident number, the officer's name/badge ID, etc. Then they put the cuffs on her and took her away to the Redondo Beach PD station because she 1. had a bench warrant and 2. lied to them repeatedly about her information and that pissed them off (at least that's what the officer told me). :heh: They towed the explorer away to the impound too (I wonder if that can get confiscated under CA state law - anyone know?).

What sucks about all of this is we have a big road trip coming up in less than 2 weeks and we were going to take my Honda. I just got a bunch of maintenance work done to it in the last 2 weeks including new brakes, front-end realignment, and my radiator flushed. Worst of all though was the fact that while we were waiting for the police to take care of everything and take us home I had to listen to the traffic on Artesia crushing all of my car's broken pieces left on the roadway. :(

On the lighter side of things, I did have my Got|Apex shirt on through all this. :heh:

[Ladogaboy]

Wow, that sucks. At least everyone was okay.

BTW, I think the G|A? shirt earned you some pity points with the cops. :heh:

[ray]

<snip>

On the lighter side of things, I did have my Got|Apex shirt on through all this. :heh:

Glad to hear you and Mrs. are okay though. That looked like a nasty accident from a damage standpoint. I am glad that the police were not only prompt in getting to the scene, but also took care of the driver appropriately.

It's amazing how many people in Los Angeles (and other larger cities I'm sure) drive with suspended licenses, with bare minimum/no insurance. I say put the lady in jail for a little bit for 1) her outstanding warrant 2) lying to the police 3) driving with a suspended license.

Talk about great publicity for this site. This Got|Apex shirt saved my life!

[eSDee]

That sucks Kevster. Glad that you and the missus are alright though.

[psycho-]

It might seem like a SS, but the truth is is if you and the Mrs. are both fine, you guys should be happy. Things like this happen...and a car is completely disposable; your health isn't.

It's good to hear your car did what it was designed to do..and to hear that both of you guys are okay

[Kevster]

It might seem like a SS, but the truth is is if you and the Mrs. are both fine, you guys should be happy. Things like this happen...and a car is completely disposable; your health isn't.

It's good to hear your car did what it was designed to do..and to hear that both of you guys are okay

This is exactly what I said when my wife commented on how the Explorer had relatively little damage while my Honda took it on the chin - literally. It did exactly what it was designed to do - absorb the kinetic energy of the collision so we wouldn't. That was one of the big reasons I bought my Honda - that model did well in crash tests.

I have been talking with an accident/injury lawyer friend of mine who works for AAA. He told me just from the looks of it, it might get totalled. I really hope it doesn't come to that. Even though it was 7 years old, it had only 75k miles on it and I was planning on it going another 75k before I might have to think of replacing it. I really like not having a car payment since we're on one income at the moment.

Hey UFcrusher - want to make an extra-super-special Got|Apex deal for me? :P

[CynJon]

Glad to hear that you and your wife escaped injury--definitely looks like a major accident (at least from looking at YOUR car). Hope everything works our alright regarding the insurance claim. I know they took the other driver away because of the warrant, but did they issue her a citation, as well? That will also help your cause, if they did.

Good thing you got your brakes done! Kinda ironic that your newly flushed radiator leaked all the new coolant onto the ground, and your car is DEFINITELY out of alignment now... :P J/K :)

On the upside, maybe you'll get to put all the miles from your upcoming trip on a rental, instead.

[psycho-]

maybe time to get a
http://www.swedespeed.com/gallery/generated//FWD%20and%20AWD/S40%20Mk%20II/S40%20Sport/001__scaled_600.jpg

? :)



I have been talking with an accident/injury lawyer friend of mine who works for AAA. He told me just from the looks of it, it might get totalled. I really hope it doesn't come to that. Even though it was 7 years old, it had only 75k miles on it and I was planning on it going another 75k before I might have to think of replacing it. I really like not having a car payment since we're on one income at the moment.



That car will be written off at probably 7-8k, so it looked like a loss to me, though the airbags didn't seem like an issue, the airbag sensor usually has to be replaced, along with belts, etc.

[yippiekiyeh]

Well impound is 30 days plus impound fees and whatnaught. Plus they'll need to pay fines on the bench warrant and all that other stuff. So I don't think they'll be getting back their explorerer for awhile.

I'm glad that M/M Kevster are a-okay. Sure sucks, but remember b/c you're complaining about the car and a trip that's infinitely better than complaining about not have an arm or a wife... Thank goodness you're okay!!!

[Jenny]

Wow! Like everyone else has said, glad you are both ok! (& good for you! Too many people don't wear their seatbelts nowadays! :( )

[Apex]

Man, that sucks. Glad you two are ok though.

[Kim]

Yikes, I'm glad you were not hurt!

[nickel]

having been in an accident that totalled my vehicle just this past February (other driver turned in front of me on a highway - said the sun was in his eyes) i have to say afterwards i was glad to just get out and walk away from it. everything else is trivial, and will work out fine.

[gear02]

i'm glad you're alright and you got your sweet revenge by seeing the f*ckhead taken away to jail.

btw, is it me or does it seem people with SUVs and large trucks drive recklessly? I've encountered tons of occasions where SUVs assume they have the right of way regardless of the situation (freeway, 4 way stop, red light). Gah...that just annoys me...

[oblongmelon]

Things happen for a reason. You're both Ok, and they other driver ended up in jail-perhaps you saved someone else's life by getting her off the road. You're my hero for the week!
ps. I'm fascinated with the palm trees lol

[Grubbie]

i'm glad you're alright and you got your sweet revenge by seeing the f*ckhead taken away to jail.

btw, is it me or does it seem people with SUVs and large trucks drive recklessly? I've encountered tons of occasions where SUVs assume they have the right of way regardless of the situation (freeway, 4 way stop, red light). Gah...that just annoys me...


Cause they feel safer in a big SUV or truck. It always sucks how this gas guzzling SUV's take very little dam compared to compact cars in accidents.

[Kevster]

Cause they feel safer in a big SUV or truck. It always sucks how this gas guzzling SUV's take very little dam compared to compact cars in accidents.

Also, SUVs do more damage and hurt more passengers in smaller cars because they are typically higher than passenger vehices. This tends to avoid the main crumple zones designed to deform and absorb the impact and you get what happened to my Honda. You can see from my bumper that I hit the explorer's wheel. My hood hit the bumper and went under. If I had been doing 40mph instead of going the speed limit (35), it could have been a bit worse for my wife and I.

EDIT: On the flipside, SUVs have a much higher rollover rate and that injures passengers just as much if not more. I lost 2 cousins a year ago because their family's SUV was clipped by another speeding (and drunk) SUV-driving motorist and that caused them to slide enough to the left that they started to rollover 5-6 times at 55mph.

[mcs328]

A few years ago my 3 -4 year old civic was hit by a Jeep i think it was. He ran a red and got me on the passenger side. Defintely more damage to me than him. I thin he got like a busted headlight...I got the whole left side messed up.

Glad to hear you two were safe. Maybe you can swap your broken Honda for their SUV? :) Oh and I think I made the suggestion to keep a camera in the car...mine was a disposable camera I keep in the glove compartment. I'm too poor to keep a digital camera in the car but with camera phones these days I guess you can have a regular film camera and your camera phone. The nice people at wal-mart gave me enlarged pictures of my car accident photos for free when I went to pick up my prints.

[Nija]

...

Remember the last thing I told you Saturday?

It's like I have ESPn or something....

[speedracer120]

Glad you're ok. I hope you have all your receipts around for the maintenance work you had done. I was glad I kept a good record for my car when it got totalled, because Allstate reimbursed me all the work I had done from the last two months. Too bad they didn't reimburse me for the tires though.

[ufcrusher]

Hey UFcrusher - want to make an extra-super-special Got|Apex deal for me? :P


Whatcha talking about Kevster? What would an extra-super-special deal be?


Sorry to hear about your accident, but at least you are both ok.

[brainsmile]

glad to know you're ok

[Kevster]

Whatcha talking about Kevster? What would an extra-super-special deal be?




I was referring to this deal. (http://www.gotapex.com/forums/showthread.php?t=74875)

After thinking about it though, I'm not interested.

Oh and another update - it looks like the insurance that was provided by the other driver at the scene is bogus. :angry: :censored: I am seriously #@$%! pissed right now. At least I know where these people live. Hey Nija, want to make a house call with me? (just kidding - though it may come to that when I have to sue).

[ray]

I was referring to this deal. (http://www.gotapex.com/forums/showthread.php?t=74875)

After thinking about it though, I'm not interested.

Oh and another update - it looks like the insurance that was provided by the other driver at the scene is bogus. :angry: :censored: I am seriously #@$%! pissed right now. At least I know where these people live. Hey Nija, want to make a house call with me? (just kidding - though it may come to that when I have to sue).

Do you have uninsured motorist coverage under your own plan?

[ufcrusher]

I was referring to this deal. (http://www.gotapex.com/forums/showthread.php?t=74875)

After thinking about it though, I'm not interested.




Not interested....how can you be not interested. IMPOSSIBLE. You know you want it.........cant you just feel the POWER. The SPEED.

I knew what you were talking about (in terms of my post) I meant what was your extra special deal price. But if you are no longer interested, ok.

[Kevster]

Do you have uninsured motorist coverage under your own plan?

Yes I do - I just don't want to let this person get away with anything. I also don't want to pay my $500 deductible. That's my comp upgrade money.

[Markel]

Does your insurance provide you a rental car until yours is repaired? When someone rammed my Ford van (my wife was driving - no injuries) we got one right away. This can often end up being charged to the other party's insurance (which, of course, may or may not exist in this case).

[look_ma]

Does your insurance provide you a rental car until yours is repaired? When someone rammed my Ford van (my wife was driving - no injuries) we got one right away. This can often end up being charged to the other party's insurance (which, of course, may or may not exist in this case).

To sue her is a possible option and one to look into. As far as insurance goes, if you have to dip into your own (I mean you have already paid the $500 might as well get mroe use out of it), they will provide a rental car. When I was hit thier insurance company provided a rental car unlimited miles.

My question:
Let us assume that the exploder driver does not have insurance. Markel got hit, but was smart enough to have uninsured motorist. Unfortunalty for him he has to pay $500 out of pocket to have HIS own car fixed that was not his fault. Does HIS rates go up even though it was not hit fault and the resulting damage will be over $1500?

explanation to some of my numbers and reasoning:
1.)My understanding is that if you get in a wreck, not your fault, they have insurance, their insurance covers it, your rates do not go up.
2.)You have dameage on your vehicle (your fault), for my insurance company, as long as it stays under $1500 my rates do not go up.

Also what can you get from sueing if they do not have much? Most people w/o insurance do not have much to begin with.

[gear02]

*****please note: none of this consitutes legal advice. if you want valid legal opinions, please speak to a licensed attorney in your area******

I really think it's time to seek one of those.

[WhiskeyPapa]

I happened to have my digital camera in the trunk (I forget who it was that advised everyone to have a camera in their car for just such an occurance - thanks to whoever it was because I make sure of that now!)You can thank cruelpupet (http://www.gotapex.com/forums/showpost.php?p=600058&postcount=24) for that bit of advice. I also have not forgotten it.

[Kevster]

I really think it's time to seek one of those.

Already consulted. I have a buddy who is an accident attorney - he works as an attorney for AAA, but he has advised me on what to do so far and what is likely to happen.

[catch22]

Glad you both are ok

My insurance policy has a $0 deductible when claiming under uninsured motorist coverage, otherwise it is a $500 deductible.

[look_ma]

Glad you both are ok

My insurance policy has a $0 deductible when claiming under uninsured motorist coverage, otherwise it is a $500 deductible.

That is cool, for me I have to pay $500. That is fine I have $500 sat asaide for that reason alone in one of my bank accounts.

As for the digicam, I dont like to, but I keep mine in the vehicle too. Too many close calls on the road to not have one.

[ShawnLee]

Hmm, I say you road trip with the rental car. I won't say how many times I've had to have a rental car because of car damage, but when the mileage is limitless, that's the time to take it across California.

BTW, if you ever have to serve papers to these people, can I come along and watch? I've always wanted to do this. I was going to be the one to do it when my friend sued her dad, but somebody else offered first.

[Kevster]

Well the initial estimate is looking around $8300 to fix it. The battery sprayed acid all over the engine compartment and it has had lots of time to work it's way into everything. A fair amount of wiring, hoses, the firewall, etc all have to be replaced in addition to the other work (frame bent in the front). I think it's going to be totalled. :(

I have to go over to the auto repair shop today so I'll try to get some pics of the damage.

[Merlin]

I know you wanted to keep this one as it is paid for and all but if there is frame damage....Yes they can fix that but some times you gotta know when to fold 'em.

Good luck. I hope you don't have to fight with the insurance company too much to get a fair price on your car.

[ray]

Dayum Kev. Sorry to hear it's that huge a bill. *sigh* Like Merlin said, I hope you get a fair value for your car. Do you have GAP insurance?

[gear02]

sorry about your car...it looks like it is totaled. Better to spend that $8300 on a new car.

What's the deal with the b*tch lady and her faked insurance? Any news there?

[Kevster]

sorry about your car...it looks like it is totaled. Better to spend that $8300 on a new car.

What's the deal with the b*tch lady and her faked insurance? Any news there?

My car has been paid for for several years. I was seriously hoping it was going to last a hell of a lot longer than this. As for the Miss Demeanor (I'm not sure if she's Madame Felon yet), I have a couple messages into my insurance rep today to find out.

It's guaranteed I will try to get additionally compensated for the recent work I had done on it and I am not going to pay my $500 deductible because of this moron's short attention span problems.

[ufcrusher]

Kevster, I would HIGHLY suggest that you immediately do the following. Go onto several different auto pricing websites (edmunds, kbb, carmax, autotrader, etc) and search for your exact car specifications. (mileage color etc). As with each passing day your car depreciates more and more (as all do) the sooner you get proof of the value of your car, the larger amount you can attempt to collect. You may also want to do a random search to get the spread on cost for the car.

[ShawnLee]

It sounds like you might be better off just getting a new car with the cash. I know you don't want new monthly payments, but yeah... That sucks.

[Markel]

In my opinion, working out the details in messes like these is what I am paying my insurance company to do for me.

In the case where my van got hit, my insurance ended up collecting the full amount of the repairs from the responsible parties, so I eventually got my deductible refunded back to me.

[mcs328]

ouch 8300!!! Can you take them to civil court or anything? Pain and suffering etc? Hope all goes well.

[whitak24]

sorry to hear about the accident kevster. that's really unfortunate.

i am happy that you and the wifey got out ok....and i hope you can get everything worked out with the insurance.