So I almost died this weekend, how was yours?

Interesting topic title, I know. But true nonetheless. I was in a fairly serious car wreck yesterday evening that resulted in this:



That's my Pontiac Montana upside down on a raised portion of earth along a back road of Arkansas. It all started when me and my two older sisters decided to pay my Grandma a visit. She lives way out in the boondocks, along paved and dirt roads alike. I'm not to familiar with the road, because I've only driven it a couple times during daylight hours. It was about 8 o'clock and dark, but I wasn't too terribly worried. I was driving, one of my sisters was shotgun and the other was sitting in the middle row of seats directly behind her. It's a good 20 minute drive from our house to my grandma's, so my sisters and I were just talking and listening to the stereo. When I turned down the road that lead to my Grandma's house (the road I wrecked on), I had missed the only speed limit sign on the way. Unsure of the route and the speed limit, I kept it at 55. I had my brights on, my sisters and I were still talking. Before I know it, the paved road ahead of me makes a sharp turn and gavel road keeps going straight. I yelled something about there being a sharp turn in the road, hit the gravel, slam on my breaks and lose control. My sister in the back seat starts panicking while my other sister tries to calm her down. I keep fish tailing, back and forth trying to regain control. The car straightens up for a few seconds and I think I have it when... the back spins violently to the left. As we're making a full spin, the car hits a raised portion of earth. We start toppling back and forth. All of a sudden, the driver side of the minivan slams into the ground, my window shatters completely. My left arm is thrust towards the broken window and grinds against the ground as we continue spinning and flipping. I could smell, so strongly, a violent mix of blood and dirt, a stench I'll never forget. The car finally lands on its top and slides to a halt on the windshield. The stop is abrupt and violent. I yell out to my two sisters, "Are you ok, is everyone alright?" Both of them confirm they are fine. I'm hanging upside down in my car, frantically trying to turn it off, open the door and unbuckle my seatbelt all at the same time. I was unsuccessful in all three attempts. I yell out, "I can't unbuckle my seatbelt", after which my sister reaches up and unfastens it for me. Finally down, I crawl out this window:



After I make it to my feet, I see a car pulling up and stopping about 25 yards in front of us. I pay no attention, and start yelling to my sisters to get out of the car, as it was still running and I had no idea of what could happen next. After a few minutes of helping them out, I start walking towards the parked car that pulled up a few seconds ago. That's when I noticed the blood flooding down my arm. Scared and cold, I walk up the the drivers side of the vehicle. A little old lady was sitting in the car. She said, "I've called 911, and ambulance is on the way dear." I thanked her and she closed her door and drove off as quickly as she had come up. Alone in the middle of nowhere, I go back over to my sisters. My oldest is frantically attempting to making phone calls and cursing the horrible cell phone signal. I just sit down in the freezing cold, and wait for help. A few seconds later, first responders show up. They begin assessing the situation. My parents show up as I'm being questioned by one of the medics about my condition. I'm then strapped to a backboard. I hear the sirens of the ambulance in the distance, and the medics already on the scene start reassuring me that it will be fine. When the ambulance finally makes the scene, I'm loaded up and on my way to the ER. All the while I'm still in shock. When I make it to the emergency room, I'm taken to a treating room and the nurses begin cleaning my wounds and trying to get me warmed up by bringing me hot blankets. Other than the gash in my arm, I only suffered minor bruises and scratches. After what seems like an eternity, the doctor comes in, numbs my arm and starts stitching it up. After another long wait, I'm finally dismissed and on my way home with my parents. I was the only one injured in the wreck. My two sisters walked away without a scratch. I am completely convinced the reason none of us were seriously injured is because we were all wearing our safety belts. One hundred percent.

Today, my dad and I went out to where my minivan was hauled and took some pictures. Here's the aftermath:



The previous pictures were taken by my sister with her phone.

My minivan was totaled in the wreck. I've had that thing a long time and I'm going to miss it. It may not have been a cool vehicle, not by any means, but it was surely reliable. Oh well, the most important thing is that me and my family are still alive.

So, how was your weekend?

 

AWS: thank goodness you had safetybelts on. Or else you would have looked like hell, since 55 miles is not really slow, and I have seen accidents with people when they were driving only 25 miles , and their wounds looked insane, thanks to the stupidity of not having a safety belt on. And good to know that your sisters are ok. Having a safetybelt on, is a good thing.

 

It seems, WDK, that through this terrible incident we have finally found something we both agree on, as I am a staunch advocate for wearing seatbelts :icon_bigg Thanks you for your condolences and concerns.

 

AWS: even though I am really FAT, then I take the seatbelt on, without question. And well my concerns and condolences are real. The only time I had been upside down (without a seatbelt by the way ) was at a field race track, and we were four in the car. There we were extremely lucky not getting hurt at all. So I have learned my lesson about that. And there weren´t even a scratch on us. But still I love field race, since it is fun.

 

I'm glad you & your sisters were able to walk away from that - it could have been much, much worse. Hope your injury heals up soon, too.

Couldn't agree more.

 

Whoa. Glad you're ok.

I don't understand why people don't wear seat belts. They probably always think "This will never happen to me..."

 

Does anyone remember the thread when Idrepublix was in an accident where he didn´t have the seatbelt on ? damn I remember that thread. Fuck that was a gruesome site.

 

I used to think the same thing, but I still always used my seatbelt. I didn't matter if I was driving 1 mile or 100 miles, I always use it. I think I can speak from experience when I say seatbelts save lives!

 

Oh man, I'm glad you and your family are fine!

That's great you guys wore your safety belts. I have a few friends who detest to wearing seat belts, saying that 'if I'm in a major car accident, I'd rather be dead than paralyzed for life.' Your story is living proof that you can be in a major car accident and come out scratch-free. I'm going to have to tell my friends about this. Hopefully it will change their views and keep them safe as well.

 

Wow. Glad your alright, that must have been pretty scary.

 

Now thats an ugly crash, glad none of you had serious injuries.

I had an accident like that 5 years ago: there was ice in the road and suddenly the right front wheel carved into dirt and the car started spinning.

The only difference is that there was no rollover, and we all walked away unscratched. The car had only some slight damage to pain and the front bumper.

Anyway, about seatbelts, I always use them, and nobody gets into my car without fasting theirs.

 

I'm glad you guys are ok!

 

Seatbelts have been around as long as they have for a reason

No matter how much technology we put into our cars seatbelts basically remain the same through the years and are still in my opion the best defense in a wreck.

Good to hear you are ok though!

 

What a shit way to spend a weekend! Really glad to hear that you are all in one piece and no serious injuries were sustained. Could have been a lot worse mate, especially if you'd just thought the seat-belt was an option rather than the life-saver it really can be.

Years ago in the UK we had a safety advert that went 'Clunk-click every trip' and these days anyone not following the advice needs their head checked!

Better luck in '08.

 

AWS - welcome to the club .
Really, if noone got hurt its a miracle!! I had a bad accident myself three years ago, in which a friend of mine (the driver) died. That was ugly, i still cant remember how it really went! Those situations are incredible, and they will get even more incredible as time passes by and you think about them.

 

wow, glad you're alright.
looks like a really nasty crash.

 

Holy crap, that's crazy!

How is your car? Is it fixable?

 

Glad you're ok, man. Car accidents are certainly frightening, and yours looks like it was especially bad.

^Hawanja; not fixable

 

Yeah, its fixable, but the cost would be twice or more than getting another one used, or even a superior model (also used).

 

I would just like to thank everyone for their concern for me and my family. It's been a crazy past couple of days. As I was telling Mr. Casual the yesterday, this event has really changed my outlook on life. Events like these serve to remind us of our own mortality.

It's totaled. I'm never going to drive my Montana again :crying: We're just going to sell it for scrap, and I'm going to buy a used car. That's all I can do at this point.