What it's like to witness a double fatal car accident first hand...

[choochoo]

It wasn't even 5pm, so unlikely but not impossible

It can happen any time. 5PM, after a long day at work.... it can definitely happen.

[Ghost85]

All this being said, I've been thanking God it happened this exact way for my sake.

I rode into work with a friend today and made him drive my S4 so I didn't have to drive and so I felt safe, we had an instance where I froze and began to freak out again when some cars suddenly began to close on us just outside of the 495 beltway. It's going to be awhile before i'm normal again, thats for sure

Glad your OK.

That is about how I feel sometimes when I'm on the highway and I pass slower cars, I tend to think they are going to try and run me off the road. It's been almost a year since the accident I had and I still feel that way. It never used to bother me.

[Brendon1098]

Wow. What's the speed limit on that road?

45 i believe

[nickthaskater]

It can happen any time. 5PM, after a long day at work.... it can definitely happen.

Sounds more like someone looking down to text and then up and correcting. I see it every day, following people who look like they're driving drunk only to pull up next to them and see a phone in their hands.

[Brendon1098]

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&sour...h&z=18&layer=t


Here's where it happened, right at the plantation sign. (switch view on maps to "photos" and itll show the plantation sign. You can see the sign in my first photo

The possibility exists that maybe she had just passed a car as the merge lane ended and over corrected when trying to finish the pass when it went from two lanes to one. It would have been a manuver too far ahead for me to see from my vantage point but it would explain alot.

[mymkivrubs]

I really hate when that happens. Here in Los Angeles we have many reckless drivers. Once in a blue moon do i witness fatal car accidents.

[PsyberVW]

Sorry you had to be caught in that - it can be disturbing for a while.

If the driver following her said she had been swerving then I doubt it was an over-correction after a pass- sounds more like a distraction or fatigue of some kind.

Fed limit on these roads would be 55 max. With double yellow, it's likely there's a curve, slope, or intersection nearby- something to obstruct line of sight and right of way- and possibly causing a further restriction on speed.

I drive like an old man down our single-lane un-divided roads. Give them plenty of room and give me a little extra time to react. Lots of gnarly head-on, car vs train, car vs pole, car vs fog...

I learned a long time ago that time is the key to survival - the more time you give yourself, the better your odds.

[PrimaVW]

I just witnessed a wreck similar to this, saw about 6 cars ahead of me a white towncar swerve completely across a divided highway, bouncing along berm, crossed back over, almost hitting guardrails, ran opposing traffic off road, and finally slammed into a taurus stopped a red light in opposing lane head-on (at about 45 mph). Turns out driver of town car was having a diabetic emergency and was in-and-out of consciousness... taurus didn't even have time to react. This was at 1230 in the afternoon.

Last I heard all parties were still in critical condition

[lorge1989]

Jeez man I can't even imagine how you feel. I remember I was pretty shaken up when I wrecked my car in my teens. Only my car had damage and I wasn't hurt. This must be like that x500. Take it a day at a time and just realize that if you choose to drive on public roads then there always will be a risk. Just do everything in your power to minimize that risk and you will be just fine. (Clearly not that cut and dry but I know you understand)

Best of luck and RIP.

[BRealistic]

I'm not sure if even brand new cars are capable of protecting a driver from the massive G-forces in such a crash.
We would need to start wearing racing harnesses and a HANS device.

[stevegolf]

Wow, that must be quite scary. Last week a tire went out on my fiancee's car and she hit a wall doing 80 mph. Luckily she walked away injury free, just a sore back. If it was an un-divided highway who knows what could've happened

[WakusPakus]

yikes.

OP i'm glad you're ok - hope you were able to sleep last night.

RIP to the one(s) lost...i can't even begin to imagine.

life is too short - just yesterday AM - in a town near where i work, this kid was helping his dad clear land (6 years old.....) - ended up getting pulled into the wood chipper - his dad turned away long enough to pick something up and it was too late......

[techmonkey]

Thought I was surely going to see a head on collision right in front of me yesterday. A two lane road with a 55 MPH speed limit. Guy in a 90s Camry in front of me was swerving every few seconds. Obviously texting. Drifted into the oncoming lane right in front of one of the big municipal plow trucks we have around here. Another half second and he would have been creamed. Total pucker moment for me. Apparently unfazed, he went right back to it.


Condolences to OP. I'm sorry you had to witness such a horrendous thing and the aftermath.

[patrickvr6]

I wonder if there are any stats on accidents caused by over correction?

On a recent trip to Florida my wife was driving and were closing in on our destination at about midnight passing through a state park. There were deer all over the sides of the road and I could tell she was nervous. I told her that if a deer steps out to simply plow into it and not to attempt to steer around it at speed.

I think some seat time in a skid car like this could go a long way toward teaching inexperienced drivers what to do when traction is lost at speed.

[masa8888]

The worst I've ever witnessed was a Camry driver that approached an MG roadster stopped at the red light, at 60 MPH and then realizing at the last minute that 1) it's a red light and 2) there's a car in front of him. Luckily, he slammed on his breaks which reduced the impact of the crash, but it was still big enough to push the MG through the intersection. Both drivers walked from the accident on their own power. I wouldn't be surprised if he was texting.

[Jan PL S6]

I think some seat time in a skid car like this could go a long way toward teaching inexperienced drivers what to do when traction is lost at speed.

It would definitely help! The problem is that these kind of driving schools would be way too expensive and no state wants to justify them. I know Finland has these kinds of driving schools and simulators where drivers looking to get their license have to pass a simulation and road course under some extreme test conditions. It would most certainly save a lot of casualties/injuries/insurance in the long run but no one has the money to start such a program. Driving has turned into a right in this country rather than a privilege. Drive in a straight line, use your blinker, answer 40 common sense questions and congratulations, here is your license to kill.

OP I'm sorry you had to witness something like that but thankfully you are alright. Go be with your family and buy a lottery ticket or two.

[Air and water do mix]

It seems that way to me too. I'll admit this completely changes my views on such activities

Scenarios such as this will certainly make you reevaluate your related beliefs. One of my co-workers witnessed something almost as bad, as he was driving through heavy fog - very slowly. Out of the fog came a motorcyclist cartwheeling and as lifeless as a Raggedy Ann doll. There was absolutely nothing he could do, as he was dead and there was nobody around anyway. He was by himself and it was the era just before cell phones became popular. I don't bring it up as it still has quite an effect on him.

I hope you can deal with it over time. It's a hell of a thing to have to live with, though.

[Air and water do mix]

yikes.

OP i'm glad you're ok - hope you were able to sleep last night.

RIP to the one(s) lost...i can't even begin to imagine.

life is too short - just yesterday AM - in a town near where i work..

I could've gone the rest of my life without hearing about that wood chipper.

[Seki]

[saron81]

Condolences OP... it's tough to see something like this.
About 10 years ago I just missed seeing a head-on wrong way crash on 795 (just south of the Reisterstown Rd exit for locals)
A 80's era F-150 somehow ended up heading SB in the NB lanes, and hit a late 90's Escort head on. I arrived on the scene literally seconds after impact. The lady in the Escort had her leg crushed, and trapped under the dash, but was otherwise okay as the car came to rest in the median. The truck burst into flames instantly, still in the middle of the travel lanes, and no one could get close enough to open the door. It was devistating to watch. I still have the newspaper clipping in my sock drawer.
These things definately make you re-evaluate your driving habits, and priorities.
Please be safe out there.

[rpmk4]

i have. i saw a fully loaded brick truck tbone a minivan when i was in fifth grade, i'm 28 now. i will NEVER forget it. i still remember some of the smells and sounds. i feel bad to this day for the brick truck driver because there was nothing he could do. the lady of the van thought she could double through the intersection in front of a truck running 50-55. she found out the hard way she couldn't. there were five kids in the van, two died, one of those who died was another families child. one other ended up with severe head trauma and never learned above a fifth grade level. i have that horrible feeling back just typing this, i hope i never have to see anyone hanging out of a vehicle again.

[Brendon1098]

another pic of after vehicle dismanteling

[iamsuperdan]

Even if both cars were doing only 45mph, what would the impact speed be? I knwo there's a math whiz out there that can figure out the force of impact if each car was doing 45mph. Seems like it would be fast enough to cause this kind of damage.

Awful stuff.

[BRealistic]

Even if both cars were doing only 45mph, what would the impact speed be? I knwo there's a math whiz out there that can figure out the force of impact if each car was doing 45mph. Seems like it would be fast enough to cause this kind of damage.

Awful stuff.

Two cars of equal mass and dimensions hitting head on at 45 mph is equivalent to one car hitting an immovable object/wall.

And googling.. this seems strangely appropriate.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NgXLT7qu0GA


Assuming that's an SLS, it weighs between 1100 to 800 lbs more than the Accord (depending on which Accord it is).
To have that much cabin damage suggests the Accord was going quite fast.

[TORSEN TRACTION]

Wow, that's terrible. Glad you're ok.
I remember I was in a new '04 Tiburon on the way to school when a dude in a Cadillac came right over a crest of a hill on a 35mph road. He was looking down moving something on the floor. He was swerving in a unpredictable path. At the last second I turned a hard left and only got the right front wrecked. My car was rebuilt. Certainly not on the scale that you witnessed. It sure happens fast and its worse if its hard to predicts the other vehicles path. Very scary!

[PsyberVW]

Two cars of equal mass and dimensions hitting head on at 45 mph is equivalent to one car hitting an immovable object/wall.

And googling.. this seems strangely appropriate.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NgXLT7qu0GA


Assuming that's an SLS, it weighs between 1100 to 800 lbs more than the Accord (depending on which Accord it is).
To have that much cabin damage suggests the Accord was going quite fast.

Do realize these pics are from after the car being cut open by the fire dept. When the accident first occured, the Caddy still had doors which OP could not pull open.

But yeah, look at how much crumple zone was used (all of it, and then some)

[Waarp]

Thats bad. I saw my first accident unfold before me a week ago..

a neon with 2 towels--I was 2 behind them-- drifted across the center line on a secondary rd right into a porsche cayenne. The soccer mom's (Cayenne) whole front left was taken out and her wheel was doubled over flat and she almost slid right into me. she made no attempt to just flick the wheel 2 ft to the right, she had a good 10 ft there, she coulda avoided the whole thing! So both of them weren't paying attention.

[jettagli1991]

I watched my friend driving ahead of me plow his car into a tree at higher speeds. Those seconds before I caught up to the wreck seemed like an eternity, not knowing what I'd find. I was amazed to see him climbing through a window of the smoking wreckage seconds later. Luckily the passenger side front took the impact. The engine was pushed to where the passenger side floor had been. Our other friend who no doubt would have been sitting in that seat had went home sick the night before. Talk about luck. I never forgot that and it forever changed how I drove.

[VR6boi65]

Jesus, sorry you had to witness that.


She was a decent looking girl, too (right).

[Cousin Eddie]

Sad news.

Over-correction when you touch the shoulder is the worst reaction. My sister rolled her boyfriend at the time's mid-90s Explorer that she was lucky to walk away from. Not paying attention, changing a CD or something and touched the soft shoulder, jerked the wheel to the left and over it went.

Which was honestly kind of strange because when we had our learner's permit my dad MADE us drive 85km/h down country roads and gently ease the car's two right tires onto the shoulder and gently ease it back to prevent us from over-reacting. He was just demonstrating that nothing will happen if you make subtle inputs.

[Time for a GTI]

That's tough. Good luck, you'll heal.

[Brendan@bwalkauto]

I wonder if there are any stats on accidents caused by over correction?

On a recent trip to Florida my wife was driving and were closing in on our destination at about midnight passing through a state park. There were deer all over the sides of the road and I could tell she was nervous. I told her that if a deer steps out to simply plow into it and not to attempt to steer around it at speed.

I think some seat time in a skid car like this could go a long way toward teaching inexperienced drivers what to do when traction is lost at speed.

Skid cars are a great learning tool, and a ton of fun to drive.

Sorry you had to witness that OP. Those situations tend to stick with you for awhile.

[Brendon1098]

Jesus, sorry you had to witness that.


She was a decent looking girl, too (right).

I know what she looked like, but yeah she was a good looking girl. Its a shame

[GolfTango]

I could've gone the rest of my life without hearing about that wood chipper.

Yeah, it was a pretty tragic event.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/nati...icle-1.1059758

[dieselraver]

unreal...