Car Accidents / Near Collisions

[cranshinibon]

Has anyone here ever gotten damn near close to a bad accident due to their, or someone else's mistake and had a hard time getting rid of the fear of driving. I consider myself a relatively good driver but today I got really scared. I was driving up 287 and decided to take the right lane and pass all the people stopping and going (essentially holding up traffic for no reason) then I got into the middle lane and saw a van ahead of me so went to get over. I didn't see the person in my blind spot mirror nor my rear view/side view and the next thing I know I see the SUV come flying up the shoulder really close to my car and get in front of me. Now I can't tell if it was my fault for not looking well enough or his for speeding up when I was about to get over but I really am scared ****less about driving now.

Anyone else ever have this problem, and if so what should I do to get rid of this little spook from my system

[PotenzaSub]

I don't mean to be rude, but it was your fault for not looking. When I drive (especially in the city - NYC) I act like I'm driving the president through Beirut. I am prepared for anything and I always double or triple check before changing lanes or pulling out from a T intersection. I've never gotten into an accident with another car.

But, as far as your fear of driving. About a year ago (Senior year of High School) my friend was driving me home. All of a sudden another class-mate - who is border-line retarded - came out from a side street without looking and we T-boned him. His SUV did a 180 and slammed into a tree. The car I was in - a hyandai - looked like it was totaled (I later found it wasn't). This is different from your situation however, because I didn't have my license at the time, so I only had other people drive me around. After the accident I was really scared when having someone else drive me around. But, after about a week or two, my fear competely went away.

[cranshinibon]

Yeh it was deffinitely my fault for not looking, I was running on groggy amounts of sleep deprivation so i was driving sort of carelessly (i still used my signals and what not). I'm just so nervous someone's going to do the same to me or that the situation will happen again, even if i do look and drive more carefully.

[240sxDann]

I know how you feel. Last year I totalled my moms explorer sport. I was coming up a hill that has a slight turn, about a mile from my house. The backend kicked out and I over corrected, sending me spinning off the road. When I slid into the dirt, I was facing the direction I came from and the car flipped up onto the driver side, and I slammed into a bunch of trees crushing the roof to the floor. Thank GOD it was in the back where the roof crushed or I'd be dead, also if I wasn't wearing my seat belt I probably would have been dead or at least very badly injured. Took me a while to start driving again, but you just gotta get back out there, and get over it pretty much.

[doug]

I got hit by a SEPTA bus.. what do you think....?

[cranshinibon]

I think you're a lucky guy lol how bad did you mess up your car

[eviltalon]

Lets see.......I was in 4 accidents within 2 years. 3 out of the 4 times i was struck in the rear. The time that i wasn't i was hit on the drivers side by an suv that ran a red light. End result was my car being totaled and physical therapy for neck and shoulder spasms that lasted about 4 months. My last accident happened at 6:50am on thanksgiving morning when i was on my way to work. i got rear ended going around a blind curve and got sent into the wall. The guy watched me spin around and hit the wall, then he pulled off. I feel as though i have the worst luck ever. I feel your pain bro. I really do. But once u start driving again u'll be fine.

[EvlEgl]

If your afraid of driving you probably shouldnt be on the road...thats when you tend to make Bad jugdement calls because you second guess everything.

[doug]

I think you're a lucky guy lol how bad did you mess up your car


about 25k worth of damage.

[yellow2000S/R]

Last time I drove while being tired, I totaled my car... Now with my new car... I'm paranoid alot and hesitate when there are openings in traffic that I would have used to just pulled out fine in...