Lesson learned today: wear a seatbelt.

[René_Julien]

I got into an accident earlier today.

Wearing my seatbelt probably spared me from injury today.

Now I have to admit first: I almost never wear a seatbelt.
Today I did because I saw a cop and I put it on not to get a fine.
I'm so glad the seatbelt was there.

The accident:
I was driving (at the speed limit, 70km/h) on a secondary road.
A car coming from the other direction tried to turn into a sidestreet right in front of me.
I had almost no time to react, the time between the other drivers manouvre and the crash was about a second and a half.
And the first second I was thinking: "this can't be, there is no way this guy is going to turn in with me oncoming."
Talk about reaction time, your slower than you think. (And I like to think I have good reflexes, I do trackdays with motorcycles.)
This kind of accident takes you by surprise.

The damage:
I hit the other car right in the middle of the side. Between the axles. Which meant the car couldn't be swinge away making impact less hard.
The guy driving behind me said I slammed the brakes before impact, but I reckon I still was going between 60 and 65km/h when I hit him.
Luckily there was no passenger in the other car, because there is no passenger side anymore.

I drive a pickup truck (an Isuzu D-Max, it's on the chassis from a Chevrolet Colorado) and the other car was an old Mercedes 190.
So my chassis is higher than the other's. My pickup's front plowed into his right side doors and my front tyres hit the Mercedes' chassis.
You can imagine I pushed him over the street a certain distance.
The Mercedes is totalled.
My Isuzu only got the radiator, headlights and front bodywork damaged.
One headlight still worked, I just needed to bend it straight and I could drive off.
(Short distance to my home, engine wasn't warm.)

The injuries:
The other guy had a minor concusion and bruised arms and ribs. He'll be okay. Although he caused the accident I wish him no harm, everybody can make an error of judgement.
Me: luckilly I got my seatbelt on. I felt it working. I would have been slammed towards the front.
Also: airbag. I love airbags now.
I was shocked off course the first moments, but I could just walk away.
Just my neck is a bit stiff.


Moral of the story: WEAR YOUR SEATBELT!!!!!!!! even for short distances.
This happened on a short distance commute.

I learned my lesson, I had so much luck I wore my seatbelt today, I almost never did. Now I will.


I guess I will be driving my motorcycle for a while. Or the business van or my dad's car.

[Vorago]

Where was this?

[René_Julien]

Originally Posted by Vorago

Where was this?

Neeroeteren, Maaseik.

[MakiSupaStar]

Wow. Glad everyone is ok.

[Pilgrim]

I'm very glad you're OK! And congratulations., you just got much smarter.

I have never understood why anyone would pass up the FREE chance to be safer by wearing a seatbelt. The only one you hurt by not doing so is you.

I've been driving since well before there were seatbelts in cars. At that time, most cars had front bench seats. I quickly discovered that seat belts also have the added benefit of keeping you in the seat and better able to control the car if you ever need to make a violent emergency maneuver.

I consider not wearing a seatbelt to be volunteering for a Darwin award.

[iamlowsound]

I had an accident with 4 passengers in the car with me. No one was hurt because we were all wearing seatbelts. The cops and paramedics couldn't believe that no one was hurt. Glad that you and everyone else is ok, could have been a lot worse.

lowsound

[jwbassman]

Wow. Glad to hear you're ok. I'm sure that sore neck will be a bit worse tomorrow. Lots of Advil!!

[ADbassman]

A few kids I went to high school with died because they thought seat belts were "uncool". They'd be alive right now if they had worn them.

[Joe Gress]

Wow, glad to hear your ok.

I have known WAY to many friends, relatives, brothers (), and other people whose accident would have been less severe if they had worn seat belts.

[René_Julien]

Thanks guys.
The other guys just needs a couple of weeks of rest and he'll be okay again I guess. I'm fine.
And cars are just material goods.


Also: the airbag probably saved my glasses.
I got the jammed around my eyes though. Just for a fraction of a second.


In this case a pickup truck was safer to be in.
Although in most cases a regular car is safer.

I'd rather drive a Volvo into a concrete wall than a Dodge Ram at the same speed.

[EricF]

Wow - I'm glad to hear that no one got seriously hurt.

It was pounded into my behavioral patterns as a kid that you ALWAYS wear a seatbelt in a car (my father did a bit of auto racing as a young man). Thankfully, I've never had to put my seatbelt to a real test, but being without one is a risk I'm not willing to take with my life or the life of my family.

I also lost a couple of friends (in seperate incidents) that would still be here if they had buckled up.

[Barfly]

We (family) always wear them. They are there for a reason.

Glad you are ok...and that there WASN'T a passenger in the Merc.

[Stumbo]

Not wearing seat belts is like going boating w/o wearing a life jacket.

I always wear a life jacket because what if you're knocked out and thrown overboard in an accident? Doesn't matter if you know how to swim or not.

[MakiSupaStar]

Originally Posted by C'thulhu

Thanks guys.
The other guys just needs a couple of weeks of rest and he'll be okay again I guess. I'm fine.
And cars are just material goods.


Also: the airbag probably saved my glasses.
I got the jammed around my eyes though. Just for a fraction of a second.


In this case a pickup truck was safer to be in.
Although in most cases a regular car is safer.

I'd rather drive a Volvo into a concrete wall than a Dodge Ram at the same speed.

I have a Volvo, but I don't want to drive into a brick wall.

[DudeistMonk]

I wear my seat belt all the time...however I think seat belt laws are unconstitutional....If I want to die that is my right.

[René_Julien]

Originally Posted by DudeistMonk

I wear my seat belt all the time...however I think seat belt laws are unconstitutional....If I want to die that is my right.

Well, if you are sitting in the back seat and you don't wear one you can harm orkill the people in the front in a crash.
Many cases like this.

[IAmTheDood]

i used to avoid wearing mine until i got my '06 ram .. this one beeps at me if the seatbelt isn't on ..

i got used to putting it on after that.

i hate the people who refuse to wear them because of accidents they've seen because of them on. Saying they've seen people ripped in two and killed because of the seatbelt being on..

sure it may happen, but 9 out of 10 times the seatbelt is there for a reason and will prevent injury.

[standupright]

glad everyone one was ok. please go and make sure that you get yourself checked for a concussion as well. your head doesn't have to hit anything in order for a concussion to happen. the signs of a concussion can show up anywhere from immediately to several months down the road.

[scottice]

Glad everyones OK. Yes, wear your seatbelt.
Have yourself a nice weekend and have a few beers.

[DudeistMonk]

Well, if you are sitting in the back seat and you don't wear one you can harm orkill the people in the front in a crash.
Many cases like this.

So do jewel Cases, and coffee mugs and whatever else is in your back seat.

It's also my right to kick anyone who doesn't follow the rules of my vehicle out of my vehicle.

Just saying, I believe that risks I take with my own life should not be controlled by the state. I'm not a resource I'm a person.

...again its stupid not wear a seat belt, but it is might right to be stupid, when it doesn't harm others.