Just got into an accident 05/04/08 at around 8:00am. Coming home from work I just dozed off and my wakeup call was my truck promptly plowing into a chevy impala. I can't believe I let myself doze off, all I remember was getting onto the highway and driving along then I remember the smash of my truck hitting there car nothing in between. Their car has got to be totalled, its probably an 02-04 impala and the rear-end is basically gone, their frame is twisted to all hell too. I was luckier my truck looks like all it needs is the passenger side fender, a new hood, a new grille and grille bracket, a new radiator and radiator mounts, anda new front bumper. I have to call insurance tomorrow and give them my claim which I don't look forward too, this was completely my fault and I am lucky that no one was hurt. I hit these poor people pretty hard but as far as I know no one was injured in any way.

I just thank god that they are alive, I could care less about myself. It was my mistake, I am usually very careful driving back and forth to work and I am just disgusted with myself for letting something like this happen. I can't believe I stupid I was.

Here's my advice toeveryone if you are out driving and you are remotely tired stop somewhere and sleep or walk around for awhile its just not worth the risk of losing your life ortaking someone else's.Seeing the impact and that car getting launched forward is like a video stuck on replay in my head. I just hope that nobody else makes the same mistake I did.

thats a shame buddy but im glad you are ok, that is what matters most. did you get any pics?

Yeah I have some I'll have to DL them from my girlfriend's camera. I'll put them on sometime tomorrow. Does anybody have any idea how much it would cost to paint a hood and a fender?

man i couldnt tell you. my dads friends with the owner of a shop down here, we get everything done at bare cost

Damn man, sorry to hear that... At least everyone was ok. The replay thing may take awhile but it will go away in time, I know exactly what you're talking about there as that's how it was for me after the rollover. Keep us posted and try not to beat yourself up too much over it, sometimes we all make mistakes.


Cheer up though, now you can have your truck painted blue like mine ;):D

Heh, you can dream but she's staying in inferno red. Yeah I have been trying to look at the bright side that everyone is alive and unhurt. I just hate the fact that I did something like that, I always make it a point to stop and walk or something if I am tired but I was so close to home I must have just fell straight asleep.

I was actually reading an article about microsleep a condition in which the body is trying to compensate for fatigue in which your reaction times are slower, your pupils become smaller, you blink more often, and yawn frequently. They say if you close your eyes for just one second you can fall asleep. I am guessing this is what happened to me.

I am going to make damned sure this never happens again. Since I was 16 I have been in three accidents. Once in 2003 ina minor fender bender, once in 2005 when my brakes went out on my van and I ran a stop sign hitting the front of an F250 and then a stop sign on the opposite side of the street. Officers wouldn't believe me about the brakes in the second accident. This one from yesterday is my third. Its been just about 3 years since my last one. I am sure my insurance agency is going to send my rates through the roof. I am currently paying $150 a month with a $500 deductible. I am sure it will be over $200 a month now. It's okay though because I deserve to take my licks on this.

Yeah I've seen some stuff about microsleep, they say it can last anywhere from under a second to several minutes and the person will often not even realize it's happened. I've experienced it before on the highway in my integra, was driving along fine and then I woke up and the right side of the car was off the pavement and on the gravel... needless to say I got my ass to a rest station and got a huge coffee after that.

Yeah its crazy, one second just getting onto highway 30 from interstate 35, then next thing I know boom right into the rear end of a car. I honest to god don't remember any in between time. I just know I need to take what I have learned from this and do something good with it. I think I will make it a goal to raise awareness about falling asleep at the wheel so hopefully some people can avoid this type of thing happening.

I am glad to hear that everyone is alright.

When I was a Deputy, there was a Seargant I had on midnight shift who used to tell us, "When you feel tired, get out of the car and stand up. That way you'll wake up faster when you fall alseep and hit the pavement."

I know several people who have falled asleep on the way home after a 12+ hour shift. Most of them just ended up in ditches, but one of my buddies rolled his cruiser about six times after he fell asleep. Then the command staff saw fit to take his car away and put him on desk duty for a few months. Just one of the many things that made me glad I left that department.

Anyways, I think we are all probably guilty of pushing it when we are tired on the roads. Your case is just a little reminder that it is worth spending an extra 5 or 10 minutes talking a walk to wake up. Walking always works for me when I'm tired.

Sean

yeah, as a general rule of thumb, I dont drive when I am tired. (if I can help it)

When I know I am going to be driving when I am normally sleeping, I grab a few no-doze and a MT. DEW and a good CD...


But it does suck man, I am glad you didnt get hurt, or hurt anyone else.

As far as painting a hood and fender... it will be more than your 500 deductable.

I see bright silver metallic in your eyes :Dhehe Nows the time to painter like Altair was saying.

Anywayz sorry to hear man, glad everyone involved is ok. The trucks replacable, people arent. Take care man, and don't be to hard on yourself.

Now that sucks and I know the feeling. I drove my 74 Charger 440 SE into a guardrail on a dark up state New York road and have no memory falling out. Car was fixed but lesson was learned. I rather get there a little later than maybe not at all.Good luck with the whole situation and don't be too hard on yourself there’s already enough to deal with and it will go away.

Thanks fellas I appreciate the understanding. Hopefully I can help other people realize the dangers of driving when tired. If you think about it it really is no less dangerous than driving while intoxicated.

Bright silver metallic, bah! I'll stick with inferno red. I smell jealousy. :D

yup your own jealousy that your truck is not green like mine, definatly the best color dodge offers


but yea glad to hear that everyone is ok, sorry to hear about yout truck man, but at least your ok

ok im glad ur ok but look at the bright side of this u can get the hood u want for ur truck and any other aftermarket crap to replace the stuff damaged!!!

Looks like everything is squared away with insurance and the people I hit. The guy is happy with the check he will be getting for the blue book value of his car and the body shop is starting work on my truck and hopes to be done by the end of next week. All in all everything all together is probably going to cost my insurance around 12k. They told me $5,500 to fix everything on my truck.

So until I get my truck back I am driving a 98 Pontiac Grand Prix loaner car which I must say I have been pretty impressed with. Despite having 173,000 miles on it, it runs really strong. Not to mention it gets around 30mpg so gas is a whole lot cheaper.

I will try to post some pictures up probably sometime later today after I get up I just haven't gotten around to it.

Should count yourself lucky, mine's still being fixed... Finally had to describe the accident to the insurance agent today (she kept not calling me back), not a fun experience, after having to recall it I can see it as if it was happening all over again[&:]

Yeah I just feel lucky to be alive I called the couple I hit on the phone the other day. Sweetest people I have ever met, they have been nothing but selfless, kind, and forgiving to me. The guy is going to get a check for blue book value and he is happy with it! The car only had 40k on it and was in prisitine condition until I came along. I feel terrible for these people but they were happy I checked in on them. They even told me they thought I was an outstanding young man, and that they thought I was being very conscientious calling them to check on them and everything. The old guy said I seemed like a straight arrow and said that he thought I was going to move along in life just fine. Honestly it about made me cry, Ill be a man and admit it. I can't believe these people have been so kind to me when I could have seriously hurt and/or killed them.

Yeah I still got the whole stuck on repeat thing going on. I was with my girlfriend behind a car that suddenly braked ahead of me and when she told me to watch for them it was like a flashback. Heart rate jumped and adrenaline was pumping and everything. Got some crazy post-traumatic stuff going on and I don't like it but I suppose I earned it.

In all honesty I just want to get rid of my truck for the moment and get a cheapie car that I can carry liability on for the next five years. Then when my insurance goes back down then I will look at a truck with options. But that will be hard considering I still owe 14k on my truck and the only way I could possibly get rid of it now is to get it repossessed which would annihilate my credit rating which I definitely don't want to do. I just don't think it is going to be easy to afford the payments and the insurance when it undoubtedly goes through the roof.

Keep your head up man! Dont give up.

well, I hope it all works out for ya... Some lessons are hard to learn, adn even harder to learn to deal with.

This should put that truck into perspective for ya. Its a 4000Lb vehicle and not a toy. I am happy everyone is safe and sound. Lesson learned... now its time to use that and move on. Insurance will go up and down in time. Roll with the punches and take it like a man.

Good luck with what ever you choose to do. Its a nice truck and I hope you decide to stick it out. I wont hold it against ya if you dont though.