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View Full Version : Seat Belts and Air Bags Work. Use them religiously...



Jim Becker
05-09-2007, 4:42 PM
This past Friday, we left for the airport quite early for a short vacation to central Florida so the girls could visit grandma's and grandpa's house for the first time as well as have a day at the beach and a day at the "Mouse House". It was a beautiful, sunny morning and we were all very up-beat about our coming "days in the sun". Unfortunately at about 7:50am, it got "not beautiful" when we were involuntary participants in a multi-vehicle accident on a local interstate not quite half-way to the airport.

"Someone" (you can use your own personal favorite adjectives and explicative here) decided to dart from the middle lane to the left lane several vehicles in front of us, causing everyone to hit the brakes. And with the first two vehicles after them stopping abruptly from high speed and despite the very generous distance between us and the pickup truck we were following, we were unable to stop in time to avoid the collision already in progress. Neither could the dude in the cute mini-Cadillac behind us, either. :(

Let me say this loud and clear: Seat Belts and Airbags Work. Although my beloved Highlander Hybrid Limited was nearly totaled ($24K in damage), outside of a small abrasion on Professor Dr. SWMBO's right wrist from where the air bag hit her (and the nice fresh latté shower we both got...) none of us suffered any physical injuries. It was a disappointing event, however, and we obviously didn't make our 9:35a flight to Orlando.

Now, we could have just "hung it up" and stayed home and might have if the airline couldn't work things out for us. But that would not have served to teach our kids that when bad things happen--we deal with them and move on. And based on the great time we had in Florida, it was the right decision. (Given some history of trauma, it was a doubly important lesson) The only weird thing was that when we finally got to Hertz to pick up our rental car...they gave us a blue Highlander...:o...which actually turned out to be another good thing since it could seat 6 comfortably and that meant using only one car for things that everyone was together for. I did lose my seat "up front" on the return flight yesterday night due to the re-booking, but at least my three girls were comfortable in first class.

At any rate, here are the accident pictures...

At the scene:

http://toscax.us/images/accident/scene-1.jpg

http://toscax.us/images/accident/scene-2.jpg

Airbags...

http://toscax.us/images/accident/airbags.jpg

Damage:

http://toscax.us/images/accident/front-1.jpg

http://toscax.us/images/accident/front-2.jpg

http://toscax.us/images/accident/front-3.jpg

http://toscax.us/images/accident/back.jpg

Did I happen to mention, "Wear your seat belts!!"??

Jason Roehl
05-09-2007, 4:49 PM
Wow, Jim, I'm glad you and yours are alright. It looks like crumple zones work, too. Does the $24k include a full detail to get all the latte out of the upholstery? Lattes only smell good for a short time... :cool:

I must confess I don't always wear my seatbelt, but that's only in my work truck, in town. On the highway, and in other vehicles, it's on. I've had my share of fender-benders plus one roll'em-over--seat belts definitely did their job in each case. I haven't had the pleasure of kissing an airbag yet, but I hear I'm not missing out on anything.

Again, good to hear you're all okay.

Martin Shupe
05-09-2007, 4:50 PM
Ouch! I am glad you and your family are safe, Jim. Broken things can be fixed. It is more important that your family is safe.

Jim Becker
05-09-2007, 5:00 PM
Yes, Jason, the crumple zone crumpled...on both ends, but primarily in the front. Unfortunately, so did the hybrid system and that's contributing to the cost of refurb. As to seat belts, I don't even move a vehicle in my driveway a few feet without putting it on. It's a habit I got in when I started driving at age 16 and it serves me well. In fact, I really don't feel like I have control of whatever I'm driving without the belt fastened.

Outside of Alison's wrist, neither of us actually "kissed" the air bags...the seat belts kept us in place, but we were probably down to about 35-40 mph when we actually hit the back of the pickup that was dead stopped due to his own collision. (The "gunshot" of the air bags did bother Ali's hearing for a bit) And then the dude behind us whacked into the back and under our bumper and hitch. His crumple zone crumpled, too...more than ours I think. He did go to the hospital, but only after standing around for awhile...

Oh, yea, the repair expert from Progressive actually did mention the coffee clean up! LOL While it sounds funny at first, there is the likelihood that said beverages may have invaded all the electronics in the dash including the sound system and navigation/hybrid information unit. Dr. SWMBO's new Nokia E62 smart phone/PDA and purse also got soaked...my E62 stayed dry, but the Bluetooth hands-free got a good dose of yummy latté when it landed on the floor under my feet.:o

Belinda Barfield
05-09-2007, 5:09 PM
Jim,

So glad you and yours are okay, and that you went on to have a good vacation. Great lesson for the kids as well. Totalled a car a few years ago, less than 1600 miles on it (not my fault). I had a wrist abrasion from the airbag, and an asthma attack from the powder released, but walked away completely unharmed. I don't really like seatbelts, but wear one anyway. Buckling up has become a habit. I second your advice, wear the seatbelt.

Dave Ray
05-09-2007, 5:10 PM
Jim, good to hear you and your family are all OK. You can always get a new automobile, family members however are irreplaceable. Good move to continue the trip, a great lesson for the girls. The Mouse House will help to soothe any bad memories.

Art Mulder
05-09-2007, 5:29 PM
Jim, very glad to hear that you are okay.

I am surprised that they wouldn't just write off your truck... $24K is a serious amount of change to put into a vehicle that's been banged up like that. Your front end looks well smooshed. Are they sure the frame is good?

Tyler Howell gave a great quote a number of months ago: "In XXX years of EMT work I never unbuckled a corpse" (Think that is how it went.)

I also ingrained the habit myself when I learned to drive, and glad I have.

best wishes to the "girls".
...art

Jeff Wright
05-09-2007, 5:33 PM
Glad no one was seriously injured Jim. Belts DO save lives.

That sures looks like the PA Turnpike . . . or is it the 476 Blue Route? Tell Fred Beans I told you he should give you an outstanding deal on a replacement vehicle. I'm sure you're not repairing your damaged vehicle!! I think Fred still maintains an office in the Ford Lincoln Mercury location in Doylestown.

Ken Garlock
05-09-2007, 5:45 PM
Jim, you were lucky to have made it through the crash without being hurt. One accident is enough for this life, take care.

Ron Journeau
05-09-2007, 6:35 PM
As a paramedic with over 22 years under my expanding belt (but thats another story) I can second that quote about not unbuckling corpses..and everyone has a story about "a guy they knew" who was killed/maimed/injured by a seatbelt/airbag device, and I always reply I couldn't even begin to imagine how much worse it would have been had that person not been wearing his restraint device. Just the ejection alone can really ruin your day, never mind the guy coming up from behind. So glad everyone is okay, and enjoyed their holiday to boot.

Jim O'Dell
05-09-2007, 7:03 PM
Glad you are all ok. Good lesson to teach the kids, don't let something bad ruin the good times. Glad you had a great trip to FL.
I'm with you, I feel naked without the seat belt on. Glenna had a wreck back when I was in school at Baylor. Rains slick hwy, she was in my Mazda RX3, a half ton Ford truck pulled out from the median in front of her. She T-boned it, totaled both vehicles. She still hit the steering wheel and the windshield, but not serious injuries. Knee hit the keys and had to have 3 or 4 stitches. I've never been in a vehicle since without seatbelts on and tight to my body. Jim.

Jason Roehl
05-09-2007, 7:06 PM
(Ducking)...I should mention that what I do IS legal--you're not required to wear a seatbelt as an adult in the front seat of a truck in Indiana. That law is possibly going to change soon, and if it does, I will comply without complaint. I just don't wear it in town for convenience. In a 3/4-ton truck, I'm not terribly worried about low-speed accidents. Actually, two of my mishaps were on motorcycles--no seat belts there!

An old friend of mine was one of those rarities who survived a crash BECAUSE he wasn't wearing his seatbelt. He fell asleep at the wheel, and because he was able to fully slump to the center of his truck, the steering wheel crushed the seat instead of his chest when he hit the tree. So he absolutely WON'T wear one. But I'll agree that the odds are strongly FOR seat belts.

Dan Mages
05-09-2007, 7:47 PM
OUCH!! Sorry to see your car get smashed up like that. I hope they can fix it for you!

While airbags are a nice thing to have, they don't help very much if you don't wear your seatbelt!

Dan

Ken Fitzgerald
05-09-2007, 8:03 PM
Jim.............Sorry about the car but I'm glad your family was not seriously injured! I've walked away from two totaled cars because I always wear seatbelts.

Jim O'Dell
05-09-2007, 8:04 PM
Jason, it was that way with pickups in Texas for a long time. It was the agriculture coalition that made it that way so farmers didn't have to wear seat belts. Texas changed that many years ago.
In fact, now that I think about it, my old RX-3 didn't have a shoulder harness, just the lap belt. It was a '73 model cal. That's why Glenna hit the steering wheel and windshield. Jim.

Charles McKinley
05-09-2007, 8:20 PM
Hi Jim,

Glad you and the family are OK!!!!

For the car, they make new ones every day.

Be Safe ;)

Jim Becker
05-09-2007, 8:26 PM
I am surprised that they wouldn't just write off your truck... $24K is a serious amount of change to put into a vehicle that's been banged up like that. Your front end looks well smooshed. Are they sure the frame is good?

Frame is fine with a little minor damage around the bolts for the hitch receiver in the rear...quite repairable. It was also a straight hit...no oblique angle to wrench things around. I did not swerve even a foot as that would have been worse in traffic. It's a $42K vehicle (at list) with only 18K miles, so unless they can't get the parts, it's considered fixable. Much of the expense is for replacement of the hybrid system and some other goodies under the hood. But it was darn close to being a "total"...:o Progressive tore it down to verify the damage and so forth before passing it on to the Toyota folks for repairs. And fast. They had the estimate done mid-day on Monday and called me after-hours when it was quiet.



That sures looks like the PA Turnpike . . . or is it the 476 Blue Route? Tell Fred Beans I told you he should give you an outstanding deal on a replacement vehicle. I'm sure you're not repairing your damaged vehicle!! I think Fred still maintains an office in the Ford Lincoln Mercury location in Doylestown.

PA TurnPike (I-276) just west of Ft Washington on the west-bound side. And if anyone reading this was held up on Friday morning because of it, my apologies but put your anger to the "individual" that caused it all and got away un-scathed...probably didn't even see it in his/her mirrors...:mad:

Beans doesn't do Toyota in D-Town. That's Thompson. But Progressive is using Faulkner for the repairs...they have the contract for that kind of work in this area. But Beans does have Ford/Merc/all the GM labels/Subaru/Hundai/Dodge-Chrysler and something else I can't remember. Thompson does the Toyota/Scion/Lexus/Nisan/Infinity/BMW. Keenan does the Benz and Volvo. I forget which one has the Saturn, but it's likely Beans.


In a 3/4-ton truck, I'm not terribly worried about low-speed accidents.

The problem is generally without restraint, when the vehicle stops suddenly...you don't. Yes, less likely to be a problem at low speeds, but if you have an air bag, not wearing a seat belt could cause additional injury.

Art Mulder
05-09-2007, 8:41 PM
Much of the expense is for replacement of the hybrid system and some other goodies under the hood.


Hmmm, new batteries? That'd bump up the life expectancy of your Highlander. (At least, I've heard that the batteries probably need replacement after five years, which is a multi-thousand job)

Jim Becker
05-09-2007, 10:12 PM
Hmmm, new batteries? That'd bump up the life expectancy of your Highlander. (At least, I've heard that the batteries probably need replacement after five years, which is a multi-thousand job)

No, not the batteries...the "system" which is up under the hood next to the gas engine. (driver's side) The batteries are under the middle row of seats under the floor...and are fully warranted for 8 years. There is a lot of electronics and transmission interface gear involved in a gas/electric hybrid system.

Ken Milhinch
05-10-2007, 6:04 AM
The Australian state that I live in was the first place in the world to make wearing seat belts compulsory (37 years ago ! ). You can imagine how many lives that has saved. Add crumple zones and air bags, and people are now walking away from accidents that would have killed them in the past.

I just do not understand why anyone would not wear a seat belt at all times. Glad everyone is ok Jim.

Tim Wagner
05-10-2007, 7:11 AM
Glad you and the family are ok. I know a lot of people claim that seat belts are too restrictive, But aren't they supposed to be? I also know a person that claims the set belt he was wearing during an accident broke is left coller bone. he says he will never wear one again. I however do wear them, and will continue too.

Joe Chritz
05-10-2007, 7:30 AM
As part of my duties I am an accident investigator.

What you have said is complete truth. I have seen accidents that none should have survived and all do because of safety items like belts, bags, crumple zones, etc.

The fact is emphasized when one vehicle is damaged heavily and everyone is fine and on is not heavily damaged and someone is because of no belts. I have seen that many many times.

If you live in a no-fault insurance state you are directly effected by anyone injured seriously in an accident.

I am glad all are OK. They make cars everyday.

Joe

Joe Chritz
05-10-2007, 7:44 AM
Just to add, as I just now read Tim's post.

Yes you can be injured by a seatbelt. Clavicle breaks are not common but happen regularly. Bruising and sometimes broken or separated ribs are fairly common, especially without airbags to slow your stopping speed.

Just ask if you hit a web belt that is designed to stretch when used hard enough to break a bone what would have the wheel, column and dash done?

Seat belts are a one time use so if you take a hard hit on one have them replaced. Often you can see stretch marks on the webbing.

Complacency kills, can you imagine running a table saw while drinking a coffee with the other hand, or talking on the phone or putting on make up or ... You get the idea.

Joe

Karl Laustrup
05-10-2007, 8:07 AM
Wow, Jim. What a bummer as you were to head out on vacation. Most importantly you and the girls are OK. And glad you did get your vacation in.

Of course the cause of the accident gets off scott free and as you said probably doesn't even know they caused the accident. Too bad someone didn't get a license number.

Karl

John Bailey
05-10-2007, 8:50 AM
Sorry to hear it Jim, I'm gonna' have a knot in my stomach all day thinking what might have happened. Glad everyone's OK.

John

John Schreiber
05-10-2007, 9:31 AM
Amen. I doubt I would be here and certainly not without a lot of injury if I hadn't been wearing my belt about 25 years ago when lady went through a red light and drove my VW Microbus into a bridge abutment.

Mario Lucchesi
05-10-2007, 9:43 AM
Thank you for sharing this. It is always good to be reminded. especially good is when that reminder end with good news.

Cliff Rohrabacher
05-10-2007, 12:49 PM
They do indeed work ~!!

I ploughed my BMMR into a 5'-high stone and dirt slope on the edge of a farm, head on at oh gee say about 110-MPH and was airborne to boot and neither my passenger nor myself were injured - not even a neckache later on no bruises nothing. We looked at each other, got out and walked home.

Dan Gill
05-10-2007, 1:08 PM
I'm glad you are all okay, and that you wore the belts in the first place. They do save many, many lives.

It really doesn't take much speed to do a lot of damage. A couple of years ago, I hit a school bus just being delivered to Albuquerque in a full-size van pulling a bit tent trailer. The final speed at impact was certainly under 10 MPH, and was probably under five. But I hit off-center and the bumper of the bus was higher than my bumper. It buckled the roof and floor, broke the steering, and really made a mess of the van. It's still there, in a Santa Rosa, NM wrecking yard. We were not hurt even a bit, and my airbag didn't inflate (hence the under-5 MPH impact speed). Seat belts kept us from hitting anything else with our tender bodies.

One other thing you did that was wise, Jim, and that was continuing with your trip. That shows those girls that you can pick yourself up and get on with life.

Jim Becker
05-10-2007, 1:56 PM
One other thing you did that was wise, Jim, and that was continuing with your trip. That shows those girls that you can pick yourself up and get on with life.

Thanks...given the trauma and other aspects of their lives prior to adoption, there was no question in my mind that if we could still get seats on a plane, we were going. And we did. (I'll post pictures of the trip in a separate thread later one) But was was glad to have time to go home and shower off all the dried latté... :D

Ed Breen
05-10-2007, 2:57 PM
Jim,
Very glad to hear that the whole family is fine. Bet the vacation was extra special.
Good learning for the girls re: moving on.
I learned many years ago, just coming out of the climb and wondering aht the "thumping" was all about. Seems I was stoopid and forgot my seat belt, and it was banging on the fuselage !!! Haven't ever forgotten since that day.
Ed

Fred Voorhees
05-10-2007, 3:04 PM
Jim, glad that no one was seriously injured. Glad also that you pressed on and made the trip. Like some of the others, I will also admit that at times, I simply don't use my seatbelt. Karen just does not drive without hers and she has impressed on our son long ago that he should do the same. I have gotten much better over the past few years about wearing mine.

Randal Stevenson
05-10-2007, 3:12 PM
Jim, make sure to inspect the vehicle and make sure it's up to your specs before you take it back. I've seen a few things people forget, like mounting the radiator (just left sitting in).

Glad your ok, and this helped teach your kids why you wear seatbelts. I only wore my lap belt once (68 Olds, seperate belts), and it saved my life when a 2+ ton city truck rear ended me (back of the car went 6' in the air).

Only know of two instances where the seatbelt caused problems, first one due to failure (seatbelt broke at mounting), and the second one, was a fluke. Their seatbelt kept them in when the door flew off (airbourne rollover), and it smashed down on the roof (near decap). Statistically they save lives.
Hopefully someone will get that (censoreds) license, so he can get an unsafe driving ticket, and be liable for causing an accident.

Jim Becker
05-10-2007, 3:26 PM
Jim, make sure to inspect the vehicle and make sure it's up to your specs before you take it back. I've seen a few things people forget, like mounting the radiator (just left sitting in).

Progressive guarantees the repairs for as long as I own the vehicle...

Jude Kingery
05-10-2007, 3:47 PM
Jim, glad you're all ok then! Scary! It is good you posted this to remind folks to wear their seat belts. I worked for an emergency medical service for over 12 years and started wearing my seat belt long before it was mandated due to first hand experience in noticing the injuries of people who did not wear them were much worse than those that did in general. Thank you - glad everyone's ok! Jude

Tim Morton
05-10-2007, 6:52 PM
Jim,

Glad to see the family escaped unscathed and you live to enjoy another day. Any chance of a law suit against the latte company for making the coffee too HOT?;)

Steve Schlumpf
05-10-2007, 9:24 PM
Jim - thanks for sharing. Like everyone else here - so glad to hear you and your family are OK.

Tim Wagner
05-10-2007, 10:44 PM
Any chance of a law suit against the latte company for making the coffee too HOT?;) http://www.sawmillcreek.org/images/buttons/quote.gif (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/newreply.php?do=newreply&p=583168)

something tells me that wasn't even noticed at the time.

Gary Herrmann
05-10-2007, 11:00 PM
Scary. Glad you and yours weren't hurt.