so I was in a major car accident Friday afternoon, grateful to be alive.
Just going to pick up one of my daughter's friends, this woman pulled out froma stopsign and it was a 50mph zone...I had only enough time to think "nonono don't do THAT!" and the it was over...
They had to use the jaws of life to get the other driver out and the teen on the driver's side was pretty fucked up too...
My seatbelt saved me, airbags didn't do shit ...I actually hit the steering wheel and have huge bruises on my chest. The dr said he was surprised I didn't have any broken bones or internal bleeding. Yeah I'm battered but alive.
Here's the thing though. Turns out my car had a recall on it...I checked the VIN# in the National safety database and there was apparently an issue with the Anti-Lock brakes...I stomped on that brake pedal but didn't feel like the car slowed at all.
So I'm gonna ask the CHP when I get the report tomorrow who to contact about that. The car is totaled and I still have no idea about the other driver or their insurance (will get that from the report as well I hope) There was also a grneral recall for that year of my vehicle for faulty airbags... scary stuff
For now I'm just glad my kids or my daughter's friend or my dog were not with me. And that I am relatively ok...just hurting and ptsd a bit.
= new reply since forum marked as read
So sorry the car is totaled, but thank the gods you’re alive and not to seriously hurt. Healing forces be with you.
First recall was for the passenger side. Hazard was if the were inflated would cause death or severe injury from shrapnel. They said not to seat anyone there.
I was driving my 90 year old mom to her appointments and made her sit in the back seat until I had time for the maintenance. Right before I took it in? I had a recall for the drivers side. Lol....they gave the same warning that I should not drive in the drivers seat!!!!
Guess when all those warnings came in? NINE YEARS AFTER BUYING MY CAR! NINE YEARS I WAS DRIVING A CAR THAT COULD HAVE KILLED ME!
Mine was a Nissan Versa. I heard the airbag company, China based went out of business.
Hmmm.
Glad you stayed safe.
... with no warning or reason. People were being killed, or injured and causing accidents because the airbags were malfunctioning. It wasn't every airbag, but it happened enough times that it forced the recall to replace every airbag of certain brands. My car was made in South Korea (it's an Aveo) and it's one of the very few economy cars that doesn't use the Japanese airbags.
Glad you're okay...
I walked away, too. Car was totaled. I thought I was “okay”too.
Rest up, make sure you’re really okay. At the very least, yours still in mild shock. Once that wears off your judgement will sharpen.
Good luck, you gotta be be overwhelmed with the suddenness, and fact it’s totally someone’s intervention in the path of your life. 
Take extra good care of yourself while you heal. Move whatever the doctor told you to move while you recover. If you have new, weird symptoms where you're most dinged-up that develop months (or years) from now - get that checked out. I had lingering issues after being in a less dramatic, but high speed pile-up next to a horrific accident, and while you should expect good outcomes, just thought I should share my experience if it can save you and others health frustrations.
Otherwise, feel the power and control of defensive driving when you get back behind the wheel. Even though I was a passenger, my driving skills really sharpened afterwards, and would go on to enjoy driving again, despite that wreck experience.
Want you to feel well.
I have an autoimmune disease as well, and know how it is to worry that weird/new symptoms are a sign of a new condition or shift in status. To take some of that burden off of your mind, I recommend what I would do: document what's occurred, now, so you can easily refer back if you think something is associated down the road. Take photos of bruises and scrapes to record the locations on your body for future reference. Save all your doctor's discharge notes. Maybe fit in an extra visit to your disease specialist to check your antibody levels? Then, you can focus on healing and living as balanced as possible knowing you're prepared IF something comes up.
Driving might seem strange at first. I remember feeling the road under the gas pedal more distinctly after that wreck, even though it was 23 years ago. I'd say work up to driving through the spot where it occurred. I became a much better driver after that awful wreck, and haven't been in any major wreck since despite living/commuting in Houston for 18 of those years. Now, all that said, I've seen some freakin' terrible driving manuevers in recent years especially, so use those blinkers and maintain distances whenever possible. And, no, y'all, I'm not the person who'll speed up to get around, then slow down to just below the speed limit. Can drive assertively, without being a jerk.
Want everyone as safe as possible out there. Doesn't hurt to take extra care in these times.
so if I can live thru that, I've got some chops. I just want to make sure I also don't sell myslf short, and not get help I need. I WAS scary, and I KNEW in those 5 seconds my life would never be the same...that's fucking huge!
so, Ice and tylenol, friends and hugs and laughter and tears...at least I have a great family and support system too 
And, hey, sounds like you've got a good outlook for getting on through this as well. Is excellent. 
I've been trying to get the word out to drivers that should they be in a wreck with their dog who is injured, that in most cases your car insurance will cover their care too. This may be one of the best-kept secrets because I've yet to encounter many people who realize that. I"m sure there are some policies that don't, but my understanding is that most do.
Spread the word, please!
And congrats on a good (or as good as possible) outcome.
That's a terrible thing that happened to you. Hope you're doing okay, as that must of been just awful, and not that long ago. Has increased my awareness to be more cautious when I let drivers turn in and out thru standstill traffic.
Austin has the nicest, most courteous drivers I've ever seen. Being from the land of aggressive drivers, Houston, it took me a bit to adjust to so many folks willing to share the road and let people thru. I'll be sure to watch at those long-assed turn lanes for the scenario you've described. Will tap my horn if I see a car coming up fast or could nose out a little if the coast is clear when someone initiates a turn like that.
Sending you some DU love 
for you, FirstLight!
I'm so glad you're relatively ok. 
It sounds like the woman pulling out should get the ticket. I hope they're all ok, too.
glad you made it out of that.
I hope this all works out--you get a new vehicle, and you heal well.
I was in a bad accident 24 years ago. And I still feel its effects. Of course there was no diagnosis for PTSD in 1995. I have yet to find a doctor who will listen to my symptoms and take me seriously (After describing my symptoms to one psychologist, he said "You're just getting old."
