I was hit by a drunk driver last night...

[Karstan]

so at about 11:30 I was STOPPED at a red light when all of a sudden a 4-runner rams into the back of my rig. Seeing as how I have a large spare tire on the back, there was hardly any major damage to the vehicle. Anyways, thankfully the girl (who is underage) has insurance, but when we called to report it, the guy was rather annoyed that I was filing a claim. Now, the funniest part is the girl had about 6 people in her car with another car following them and they all took off and ditched her! I am guessing they were all underage too and didn't want to be around when the police showed up.

My question to you all is have you ever been hit by a drunk driver? In my family alone, there have been 6 incidents all involving dd's, most were underage. Is this a growing problem?

 

[SamIchi]

My question to you all is have you ever been hit by a drunk driver? In my family alone, there have been 6 incidents all involving dd's, most were underage. Is this a growing problem?

Wow, where do u live?

That totally sucks something like DD is so prevalent in your life. People are retarded. So are those kids and their parents.

 

[iJon]

I was hit by a drunk driver last year driving in New Mexico at 10:30 in the morning. The woman took out her car, totaled our Cadillac and totaled a man's new motorhome. The drunk driver suffered some injuries and the motorhome lost their dog out of the situation. Here are some pictures.

jon

 

[Karstan]

My father has been hit 2 times now in Colorado. He ended up settling too early and still suffers from horrible back injuries. He was side swiped by someone who ran a red light. He is now unable to turn his neck and just to look sideways, he has to turn his whole upper body. Needless to say, that has messed up his life majorly. My husband has been hit 2 times now too, then my sister and now me. Thankfully the girl was arrested and it should make the claim go much more smoothly. I'll tell you, with all these *starlets* now who drive drunk as role models, I do not see an end in sight. I just hope that the parents of these under age kids see how bad it could have turned out and teach their kids a lesson!

I was hit by a drunk driver last year driving in New Mexico at 10:30 in the morning. The woman took out her car, totaled our Cadillac and totaled a man's new motorhome. The drunk driver suffered some injuries and the motorhome lost their dog out of the situation. Here are some pictures.

jon

WOW! Am I lucky! I am glad you are ok. I am guessing you were properly reimbursed and she had insurance?

 

[eRondeau]

Time for me to put on my "official" hat as a 911/Police/Fire Dispatch supervisor. If you ever see someone who may be drunk getting into a car, or observe a vehicle driving in a manner that leads you to believe the driver may be drunk, report them to the police immediately. You can call 911 everywhere, or alternatively whatever your local "star-code" is to speed-dial your state police dispatch center. Such calls are free from all cell phones and they don't use-up minutes if you have a pre-paid plan. In fact any powered cell phone can call 911, even if it's been de-activated and doesn't even have a number associated to it.

Reporting drunk drivers to the police is the first step in getting them off the streets, which is the first step in saving lives. And every dispatcher would much rather take a call reporting a possible drunk driver than another senseless fatal accident.

[/official-ness]

 

[iJon]

WOW! Am I lucky! I am glad you are ok. I am guessing you were properly reimbursed and she had insurance?

She did have insurance and I believe she is still in jail now as far as I know. You never know about Navajo country, they make up their own rules.

My grandma did get compensated but she only got the blue book value of her Cadillac. If any of you have grandma's with nice cars you understand that a grandma's Cadillac can look no different then a brand new car.

It wasn't a big deal though, she just went down and got a new 08 model and called it a day. I'm just glad no one was hurt because I never drink and drive ever and now I evidence to support my claim further.

For members who have been on this site a long time, some can remember my old wreck about 4 years ago, which was leaps and bounds worse than this one unfortunately. I won't dig up a link but anyone can find it in my threads started list under my profile.

jon

 

[klymr]

My sister-in-law's father was killed by a drunk driver, who was driving on a suspended license, at night, in a company vehicle. The guy had 5 prior DUI's and was still allowed to take his companies truck. The accident happened on a rural highway in Utah in the very early hours of the morning.

The guy who killed him was booked into the nearest jail and was released less than a week later on a $1,000 bail. When he was questioned, he said a moose ran in front of him and that's why he suddenly swerved hitting the driver side of my sister-in-law's father's Saturn. He was lucky in the sense that the impact killed him instantly so he didn't have to suffer while trapped in the car. You couldn't even tell what make of car it was after he was hit, that's how bad the accident was. They said the other guy was going about 70 when he hit almost head on with the Saturn that was traveling at about 55 I believe.

He left behind a wife and three kids, and two grandchildren both under the age of one. After that I realized how fast life can go and change. I also have zero tolerance for people who think they can drink and drive. It's just plain stupid!

 

[Abstract]

For members who have been on this site a long time, some can remember my old wreck about 4 years ago, which was leaps and bounds worse than this one unfortunately. I won't dig up a link but anyone can find it in my threads started list under my profile.

jon

I remember that. Worst I've heard of on this site.


Drunk drivers are just pathetic. I don't mind if they kill themselves, but they always seem to manage to kill or injure someone else instead. Just hit a tree, or fall off a cliff or something.

 

[andiwm2003]

10 years ago a car was speeding toward mine, missed my car by 1 inch (really) and crashed into the woods and was stuck in the underbrush. it was 8am. when i went to the car the guy (about 25) was drunk and begged not to call police. a towing truck coincidently passed by and pulled him out of the wood and they took off. i was in a rush to get to work and that was it.

i learned later that the guy had totalled his car while being drunk, bought a new car and sealed the deal with a bottle of whiskey and drove home at 8am where he almost hit me. i still regret not calling the cops. this guy should be in jail.....

 

[Melrose]

He left behind a wife and three kids, and two grandchildren both under the age of one. After that I realized how fast life can go and change. I also have zero tolerance for people who think they can drink and drive. It's just plain stupid!

Word. I think driving under the influence is one of the most horrible things someone can do - given that the offender has the ability to ruin so many people's lives in literally one minute of irresponsible, selfish stupidity. I can't begin to imagine what they think when they climb into the car: "I've had five beers and I can't walk a straight line - now let me climb into a two-ton steel missile and see how many deaths I can avoid."

The law should be: You drink and drive, you lose you license. Period. I work in the news dept at the local radio station, and there are so many of drinking-related accidents it's sick. in other countries I've read the laws are *very* strict about this issue, but the US says that alcoholism is a disorder, they have rights, yatta yatta. There wouldn't be so many if the lamer got clobbered heavily by the law.

This issue really gets me riled up.

 

[Karstan]

Last night the girl tried to convince me to just take her information and not call the police. It was obvious they were drunk so I refused to move my car and copied down the license plate number just incase they were to take off. I have zero tolerance for drunk drivers. I do not feel guilty that I called in the accident and as a result this girl was arrested. I look at it as if this might teach her and her friends a lesson...I hope they know how irresponsible they were.

 

[pachyderm]

Last night the girl tried to convince me to just take her information and not call the police. It was obvious they were drunk so I refused to move my car and copied down the license plate number just incase they were to take off. I have zero tolerance for drunk drivers. I do not feel guilty that I called in the accident and as a result this girl was arrested. I look at it as if this might teach her and her friends a lesson...I hope they know how irresponsible they were.

you did the right thing! way to go!

 

[adk]

you did the right thing! way to go!

Even if you feel a tiny bit of guilt, you still acted in your best interest. It will be immensely helpful to your case that her drunkenness is legally documented. And of course if she's under 18 it will disappear from her record soon.

 

[sushi]

Last night the girl tried to convince me to just take her information and not call the police. It was obvious they were drunk so I refused to move my car and copied down the license plate number just incase they were to take off. I have zero tolerance for drunk drivers. I do not feel guilty that I called in the accident and as a result this girl was arrested. I look at it as if this might teach her and her friends a lesson...I hope they know how irresponsible they were.

You did the right thing.

This reminds me about an accident that my brother had. A few years ago he was stopped at a stoplight. He noticed in his rearview mirror a car approaching way to fast. So my brother gunned his Bronco through the light. Luckily for him there was no cross traffic. He was going about 35mph when the car hit him from the rear. It folded up his Bronco to the point he was pinned against the steering wheel. There was no rear seat/storage area. They had to use the jaws of life to get him out.

Had he not noticed the car, or been unable to accelerate, he would be dead today. The person that hit him was uninsured and drunk.

Personally, I have been run off the road, along with two other cars, by a drunk driver. We were all lucky as we could get off the road and out of his way.

 

[mkrishnan]

I do not feel guilty that I called in the accident and as a result this girl was arrested.

You absolutely should not feel guilty. You have no reason to feel guilty whatsoever.

 

[sushi]

I was hit by a drunk driver last year driving in New Mexico at 10:30 in the morning. The woman took out her car, totaled our Cadillac and totaled a man's new motorhome. The drunk driver suffered some injuries and the motorhome lost their dog out of the situation. Here are some pictures.

Wow. Lucky you are okay.

To combat drunk driving here in Japan, if the driver is found to be intoxicated and breaking the limit, then not only is the driver guilty, but the passengers are now considered guilty as well for allowing the driver to drive.

 

[iTeen]

my dad was driving home from cali and had two cars racing behind him(they were drunk)...and they came over the hill and hit a patch of black ice...all parties were killed (3 people) instantly.
i am just glad my dad is safe.
I don't see why people drink and drive...

 

[JW8725]

I sorry about your accident. Drunk drivers are the lowest of low to be honest. they are a danger to themselves and the rest of us.

I've never been the victim of one, I shudder to think what I'd do if some drunk totalled my car, I'd pretty much beat them silly to be honest. No one has the right to put my life at risk or damage my property...etc.

 

[SamIchi]

Wow. Lucky you are okay.

To combat drunk driving here in Japan, if the driver is found to be intoxicated and breaking the limit, then not only is the driver guilty, but the passengers are now considered guilty as well for allowing the driver to drive.

That's the first I've heard of that, and it sounds like a good idea.

 

[Iscariot]

When I was thirteen, I was riding my bicycle when a drunk driver doing 80 Km in a residential zone hit me as I was crossing the street. My front wheel was crushed under the tire and I was thrown clear of the car and into the ditch on the side of the road. At least, that's what I think happened, I don't remember anything between seeing a car coming at me way too fast and then finding myself in a ditch with ripped shorts and a missing shoe.

She sped off without stopping. Hit and run.

Fortunately one of my neighbours saw, hoped in his van, and caught her at an intersection.

She wasn't charged with anything, even though her own testimony established her speed at 80 Km, and even though she had fled the scene. Apparently she was on anti-depressants and under duress because she had just witnessed a robbery.

I got a new bike out of it.

 

[RaceTripper]

I think there should be no tolerance for drunk driving. IMHO, mandatory loss of license for a least one year minimum, no appeal, no mercy. For second offenses permament los of license and mandatory jail time. DD is just insane and there is no reason it should occur.

 

[gregdrummeraz]

**** DRUNK DRIVERS!! MY BROTHER LOST HIS BEST FRIEND TO ONE 7 YEARS AGO!!!!!!

YOUR LUCKY TO BE A LIVE! THANK GOD EVERY MINUTE YOU CAN.


Greg

 

[noaccess]

When I was 14, I was in a car with 3 other people when it flew off the the road, down a slope, landing everyone in the hospital. The driver was disfigured, I had a severe liver contusion, and someone else had a vertebral fracture, barely escaping paralysis. It was pretty unreal, especially after things had settled and I was the only one left conscious. And had the driver's blood all over my clothes. Plus glass and dirt in my mouth.

I was really numbed about it, and still am somehow. Noticing how I wrote about it, I get a sense that I didn't put in any feeling at all. Oh well.

I absolutely agree with RaceTripper on the issue. Ugh, I just remembered nobody even thought of testing the driver's blood alcohol level. Police officers were there, questioned her, and still didn't figure out she'd had 5 glasses of wine. They didn't even take away her license.

 

[Spievy]

Time for me to put on my "official" hat as a 911/Police/Fire Dispatch supervisor. If you ever see someone who may be drunk getting into a car, or observe a vehicle driving in a manner that leads you to believe the driver may be drunk, report them to the police immediately. You can call 911 everywhere, or alternatively whatever your local "star-code" is to speed-dial your state police dispatch center. Such calls are free from all cell phones and they don't use-up minutes if you have a pre-paid plan. In fact any powered cell phone can call 911, even if it's been de-activated and doesn't even have a number associated to it.

Reporting drunk drivers to the police is the first step in getting them off the streets, which is the first step in saving lives. And every dispatcher would much rather take a call reporting a possible drunk driver than another senseless fatal accident.

[/official-ness]

I have called 911 MANY times on drunk drivers. They are pretty obvious if you pay attention to your fellow cars around you.

I have questioned my self many times (if I did the right thing). But my conclusion is IF they weren't drunk and get pulled over they will pass the sobriety test and it will be a minor inconvenience, slight embarrassment situation for them. But if they WERE DRUNK I may have saved someones life by notifying the police.

 

[foidulus]

And in the US the sad reality

is that someone who goes drunk driving is less likely to see real punishment because of their crimes than someone who gets caught smoking marijuana in their own home.

Not defending either practice, but I have noticed in my travels around the globe that the United States can have some really backwards priorities sometimes.