Can't seem to keep Explorers in one piece

Well I wrecked the X this evening. Second X, second accident in 2 1/2 years (first wasn't my fault though, well, I don't see this one being my fault per say either).

Still a little shaken up but both me and the driver of the other car are ok. I was in the box of the intersection at a yellow light waiting to turn left. I looked At the on-coming traffic, all of which was slowing down (or so I thought) so I started to go. I look at the road I'm turning on and then look back at the stopped cars but one had sped up and before I could fully stop ran into the side of this ladies Honda Civic. She was taken to the hospital but the EMT's said she was going to be fine and that it was more nerves than anything. I ended up getting a failure to yield at a yellow light ticket. I would assume she got the same.

Here are a couple pics of my X and the girls Honda. As you can see I really came out on top. Sorry they're poor quality, I used my cell phone to take the pics.

 

[IAmTodd]

Good lord! You destroyed that civic! Good to see that you both made it out ok.

On a side note, how is that chrome piece around the fog light held on?

 

[section525]

Daaamn! Where did her door go? Glad everyone is okay! Good luck with the outcome.

 

[dmasini]

Suprisingly the chrome piece around the fog light is in one piece! The fog light for that matter didn't break if you can believe that.

Section, they had to use the jaws to get her door off and get her out.

I forgot to mention that my drivers door won't open either. Just from the damage to her car you can see how fast she was going to try and beat the light be for it turned red.

 

[410Fortune]

Dude, ouch! I feel ya, trust me I do.
If you look at my wreck pictures the entire front end of my Ex is destroyed except for one fog light hanging right where it has always been, nothing around it, just the fog light and bracket....crazy.

You made out pretty good it seems! Airbags deploy?

 

[techieman33]

Wow, glad to hear that everyone is ok. You sure beat the crap out of that little civic though.

 

[off-road97Xplor]

Wow glad your hurt. The explorer held up good.

 

[dmasini]

You made out pretty good it seems! Airbags deploy?

Nope, airbags didn't deploy. Honestly, even though it happened so fast, I barely felt her car hit mine.

Gotta go through the hassle of getting an appraisal and finding a bodyshop today. I hate this part.

Thanks to all that wished me well. Still a little shaken about the whole thing. I know it doesn't look like I should be but I wasn't wearing a seatbelt when this happened (of which I usually ALWAYS wear). So if I hadn't stopped when I did I could have gotten t-boned and things probably would have been much worse.

 

[Rick]

That sucks Looks like your damage is easily repairable though.

In AZ the left turner is at fault no matter what. Char was a witness to a crash like yours. She saw a car blow a red light, not even yellow and yet the judge still made a judgement against the left turner.

 

[dmasini]

That sucks Looks like your damage is easily repairable though.

In AZ the left turner is at fault no matter what. Char was a witness to a crash like yours. She saw a car blow a red light, not even yellow and yet the judge still made a judgement against the left turner.

Yeah, I can understand that but at the same time I can't. What did the cop think I should do, stay in the middle of the intersection until it turned red? Oh well, I'm not saying it was her fault, even though she admited fault three times at the scene in front of me and two witnesses. What made it sound bad in my case was I don't remember if the light was green when I entered the intersection or not. I guess that wouldn't matter though since a left turner should yeild at a green reguardless. Oh well. I hope these people don't come back and sue me. This really makes me nervous!

 

[JGAMBLE]

glad you both made it out ok, that is the most important thing You destroyed that little honda, hence the reason my daughter gets my X when she turns 16. Hope the bodywork doesn't set ya back a bunch... is it just me or do we seem to have a rash of wrecks lately???? I'll help try to break the trend.

 

[dtl 2k2 sport]

sorry to hear, where at in fairifax

 

[dmasini]

sorry to hear, where at in fairifax

Right by the new Wegman's near the Government Center.

 

[dmasini]

Things are looking up. The body shop said they would have the X back together by next Thursday! And the repair cost is going to be less than $3k. Really happy about that.

Unfourtunatly I'm going to have to buy a new push bar and Hella lights and get reimbursed for them

 

[97XEB]

Unfortunately, I have to agree with Rick. In NJ, you would be technically at fault - or at least bear most of the fault burden. Traffic going straight through the intersection obviously has the right-of-way. Since you were turning left across and in front of this oncoming traffic, it is completely your job to make absolutely sure that no one is coming before entering their right-of-way and proceeding with your turn. ...and judging from the pictures of where you hit the civic, that car was very clearly in the intersection first.

What did the cop think I should do, stay in the middle of the intersection until it turned red?

Actually, YES!!! If you entered the intersection when the light was green and couldn't safely turn before it turned red, then that is exactly what you should do. (In fact, that's common practice in NJ given the traffic & congestion.) As you unfortunately found out, "the Hard Way", it's better than the alternative...

I'm glad you are OK, and that there isn't too much damage to the X.

 

['92Bauer]

Unfourtunatly I'm going to have to buy a new push bar and Hella lights and get reimbursed for them

I would think you might wanna spend the extra money and get a full brushguard, might have caused a lot less damage to you X at least.

 

['92Bauer]

Unfourtunatly I'm going to have to buy a new push bar and Hella lights and get reimbursed for them

I would think you might wanna spend the extra money and get a full brushguard, at least than there might be a lot less damage to you X or even more damage to the civic.

 

[97XEB]

I would think you might wanna spend the extra money and get a full brushguard, at least than there might be a lot less damage to you X or even more damage to the civic.

Actually, one of the main reasons I don't have a brushguard or pushbar is because I hear they actually cause more damanage than they prevent. Because of the way most of these bars mount to the frame, they tend to bend backwards into your grill, hood, possibly fenders and lights, etc. with even light / little hits or bumps. In doing so, they cause MORE damage then if you just hit something with your bumper.

They're "brushguards," which may be ok for pushing brush out of the way on the trail, but they're definitely not bull bars or ram rods....most are pretty weak, light and very easily bendable. (The winch ready models may be a little beefier, but still not meant for preventing damage in a car collision.)

The other reason I don't run one of these is because the way they mount further limits our already marginal approach angle...not good for the trail.

 

['92Bauer]

I may have the terms mixed up then but I know of a few members on this board with brushguards that have actually prevented extensive damage to their X's in all sorts os collisions but I may be wrong.

 

[dmasini]

Unfortunately, I have to agree with Rick. In NJ, you would be technically at fault - or at least bear most of the fault burden. Traffic going straight through the intersection obviously has the right-of-way. Since you were turning left across and in front of this oncoming traffic, it is completely your job to make absolutely sure that no one is coming before entering their right-of-way and proceeding with your turn. ...and judging from the pictures of where you hit the civic, that car was very clearly in the intersection first.

I found out something interesting from my insurance guy yesterday about this. Their is a VA statute that states since it was a yellow light and I was out in the intersection I had commited to the turn and it would actually be just as much the other drivers fault as mine soley because the other driver should have yelded the yellow light. She did not by speeding up to beat it. He said if I had been behind the line then tried turning I would have been completly at fault. But since I had commited to the turn by being in the intersection at a complete stop, waiting I was not at fault.

I know it sounds weird ( I barely believe it myself) but I'm going to find this and post it for you as soon as I can. He told me to contest the ticket based on this.