A major car accident?

Question

I've never been in a major car accident but I am very scared of being in one. 1 in 5 americans will die in a private vehicle collision either with another vehicle or with a fixed object like a tree or telephone pole.

It looks scary in the videos. Imagine hitting a car at 80 miles per hour. It will hurt so much to get slammed up against a seat belt harness and possibly into a dashboard or a window pillar. It would hurt so much to have my head go through a glass window pane in the event of a traffic accident.

Has anyone here been in a major accident? How bad did it hurt you?

Answer 1

Yeah. in, 1971

I was going down the road fairly fast. Fast enough that I slid sideways into a telephone pole and sheared it off, and then hit another one next to it, I splintered it, but didn't go completely through that one. The car hit the pole exactly dead center right at the "B" pillar. It pushed the side of the car all the way over to the drive shaft, so it cut the car in half. They thought that I wouldn't survive the night, I regained consciousness about 2 to 3 weeks later. Once I was stable, the Navy sent out a plane and a doctor and nurses and flew me to the naval hospital. I spent 3 months there, and then they sent me home for a month. I was put on limited duty for about 3 months and then returned to duty late Oct.

Cut off a nerve in my eye, my eyelid was barely hanging on by a thread, messes up a vertebrae in my back and broke my arm. Had a large gash in the top of my head and still carry a scar about 5 inches long where they put my brains back in the skull.

BTW -- I wasn't wearing a seat belt, but I do now. I was trying to drive across country and back without stopping for sleep, so I fell asleep and almost didn't wake up.

Answer 2

I think you're reading the statistics wrong- I've seen similar statistics that say that of all Americans who die annually, 20% of them die in a car accident. That's different than saying 20% of everyone will die in a car accident. So maybe that helps.

Cars today are safer than they've ever been, and as an emergency room physician, my dad has seen more and more people emerge from serious accidents without serious or lasting injury. Certainly a lot of this is due to the change in attitudes towards seat belts. Always wear your seat belt, even in the back seat. The additional airbags and improved crash structures in today's cars are all designed to protect a belted occupant. Don't believe the myth that old tanks are safer than new cars that crumple up. The crumpling is engineered so that the car acts as a sponge to absorb energy before it gets transmitted to the occupants. (only the ends crumple, the passenger compartment is designed to be extremely strong in modern cars)

Choosing the right car is also important. There are two types of automotive safety- passive and active. Passive safety has to do with a vehicle's performance in an accident- SUV's tend to do better in collisions with other cars but much worse against fixed objects. Active safety has to do with avoiding the accident in the first place. Systems like ABS, ESP, and traction control all help a driver maintain control in emergency situations. Driving a car that is comfortable and manuverable is priceless in avoiding accidents.

Your attitude is also important. If you are still petrified when you enter a car, that will affect your ability to drive in an assertive and predictable way. Scared drivers tend to be indecisive when accelerating and changing lanes, and this causes accidents because other drivers can't predict where you're going to be. I would suggest talking to a licensed therapist to get over your fear and help rationalize it.

Finally, if this is still a major concern for you, ride the bus. Buses are large, travel at low speed, and have a very low death rate. I hope this helps.

Answer 3

your fears are warranted. I see car wrecks everyday because of some jake-legged yahoo talking on the phone, not paying attention. they either run red lights, change lanes without looking, rearend cars while putting on makeup or something else OTHER than driving, even swerving into oncoming traffic while digging through a purse, CD collection, READING A BOOK!!!etc. I've seen people killed, I've seen people severely injured causing them to become paraplegics or quadriplegics. I've seen body parts amputated, victims thrown from the car not wearing seatbelts, severe head injuries resulting in a vegetative state. There's a common denominator in all of these wrecks. DRIVER INATTENTION!!! You stand a better chance at NOT having a car wreck by doing what you were licensed to do, drive the vehicle, and obey the law.....than if you do otherwise. Don't worry, just drive safely, NEVER drink and drive, don't take drugs or any other mind/mood altering substances then drive, and you have a good chance of never being in one. I hate having to do my job, but I'm always there when I'm needed.

Answer 4

I've never been involved in one but I have witnessed one. My first-aid skills came in useful that day. Multi car pile-up, bodies and bits of bodies everywhere, absolute carnage! Remembering my first-aid training for shock I quickly set about trying to find a safe place, I then sat down, put my head between my knees and took slow and deep breaths, after several minutes of trying to block out the screams of the injured I began to calm down, then moments later felt enormous relief when the emergency services arrived. I then continued my journey home, none the worse for my experience.

Answer 5

I've had a fender-bender--not my fault. Someone did an illegal left turn and cut me off so short I had no time to stop. Had my then-4-year-old with me.

No one was hurt, but I was a bit shaken up.

My husband's been in a couple of head-on collisions...in one of them he wound up with a shattered left kneecap.

Answer 6

Uhhhh... I think you better check your numbers, pal. If people were being killed at that rate we couldn't sweep up the bodies out of the streets fast enough to have more collisions.

Answer 7

Yeah, can't remember. Who wears a safety belt at that particular moment? It always happens when you think you are safe.

Answer 8

No, but compare your chances with a fiery plane crash in the middle of the ocean!

Answer 9

More than likely you'll be knocked out and not feel a thing. Been there, done that.