Witnessed A Car Accident

[ArmyofOne]

Near my home today (I was commuting home from work) there was a nasty accident directly in front of me. I was carpooling with someone (in my car), We were stopped at a redlight when I look across the intersection. I see a black nissan maxima (98 or so) doing nothing out of the ordinary, pulling out to make a right hand turn onto Western Center blvd. from Silver Sage Dr.

Thinking nothing of it, I continue my conversation with my passenger, but i glance in the rear view mirror and see a 1998 or so ranger coming up fast in the lane next to us( 3 lane road, middle lane was empty, i was on the left and a minivan on the right), and i cut off my passenger mid sentence. The following event ensued:

Passenger: So i said to Craig that these phones have to be---

Me: Holy *BLEEP*, Shes not stopping!!

**I threw the car in park and pulled the handbrake (in case we got hit somehow) as i knew what was about to happen**

passenger: what?

me: Shes not-

****SMACK!****

The Ranger ran through the redlight and T-boned the Maxima. The Maxima was already halfway through the turn.

No Tires Screeching, nothing. just a big CRUNCH.

Now I have First aid and CPR Medical Training by the American Red Cross(i make a point to get it every year, plus its required for my jobs, but that isnt why I do it) and i already knew someone was hurt.

I immediately RAN to the crash, I mean ran, I haven't ran that fast in my life. Forgot totally about my pregnant passenger (not mine ), and took off toward the wreckage. I knew as soon as I got there, it wasnt good. I heard screaming (as in sobbing) coming from the Maxima, but since the ranger was the closest vehicle I stopped there first, the girl driving the ranger stumbled out and it took a half a second for me to realize shes fine, i instructed her to shut off her truck's engine and walk over to the median and sit down to regain herself. My passenger came over to comfort her, meanwhile, I ran to the screams. Around the hood of the ranger, where I knew it was bad. I yelled to Catherine (my passenger) to call 911, and tell them there was an Injury Accident at Western Center and Silver Sage.

as I looked further, I saw a woman, probably in her mid 20's pinned between the center console of her car and her drivers side door which was pushed in about a foot and a half. She was consious and wailing. I told her to stay calm, that help was here. I turned off the engine and looked around the car for something i could use as a brace to keep her neck still. I saw a baby blanket in the back seat (but no baby thank God!), so i used it. That B-pillar of her car hit her in the back of the head/side of the head it looked like, so i couldnt tell how much damage was done. The headrest for the seat offered protection from a direct blow to the head, most of the blood was coming from glass from the womans drivers side window shattering in her face. There was no immediate danger, Therefore i decided it was best not to move her. There was some blood, but that wasnt my concern at this point. Usually the worst ones are the injuries you cant see.(not even my $150 suede jacket was spared, but i didnt care). I wrapped the blanket up as best i could but it wasnt enough, so I told her not to move, and I turned the key back on and rolled down the passenger window. I took the keys with me and put them in my pocket. i ran over to my car and grabbed a towel out of the trunk. then i wrapped it and the blaknet together and made a brace. This all took maybe 2 minutes.

I held the woman there for another 3 minutes or so talking to her and keeping her out of shock. and i saw the paramedics round the corner about 5 blocks up. I looked over at the other driver, she seemed ok, minus some serious seat belt rash across her chest. As the paramedics rolled up, so did the police from behind. The paramedics came in and took over, thanking me for my help. and I stood over by the other driver and waited to give a statement to the police.

so did i do this right? I was told I did, but I couldnt help but think maybe there was something more i could have done. nothing prepares you for this kind of thing, honestly. but I still cant help but feel guilty/wonder what else i could have done. The Paramedic said if i hadnt acted so quicky, she coudl have died. But i just cant help but wonder...

(also, is it wrong to really want to ask that girl for her phone #) hobestly, iwanted to make sure she was alright, but some of you my not take it that way LOL. I grabbed a Busienss card of hers that was laying on the floor, looked like hers, so i grabbed it. Apparently, shes a realtor.

I will call her and ask her if she is OK in a week or so.

BTW, the second this happened, I saw that van that was in the lane across from me, take off. I guess he didnt have a drivers liscense or something. HOWEVER, it is a law in the state of Texas that all able citeznes stop to render aid at the scene of an accident, and all able witnesses are req'd to give a statement to the best of thier ability.. i took note of the make and model of the van, but thats all i got. so no help. there are millions of 1995ish ford windstars running around.

so yeah, thats what i did today.

EDIT: Speed limit on this road was 45 in case anyone was wondering, and the rangers speedo was stuck at 57mph. the driver of the truck was playing with her phone. so she didnt see the red light.

shes lucky, coming to a complete stop from almost 60 mph in a spilt second. and all she had was seat belt rash.

[Gumart1]

You did a great deed today, and I don't think anyone could have done it better. It is difficult to witness something like this, let alone get involved as you did. Your quick reactions definitely contributed to this poor woman' outcome. My 17 year old sister was killed less than two years ago by another at fault driver who plowed into her car. One thing that gives me peace is knowing that a witness nearby came to comfort her in her final moments. It is great to know there are people like you that are so willing to give and expect nothing in return.

[amf1932]

Speed limit on this road was 45 in case anyone was wondering, and the rangers speedo was stuck at 57mph. the driver of the truck was playing with her phone. so she didnt see the red light.

So once again a cellphone caused this accident? Some day they'll outlaw them while people are driving.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6895319/

[SW03ES]

You did a great job, above and beyond what you possibly could have done in the situation. If you're the right kind of person you'll always feel like there's more you could have done, Imagine how paramedics feel every day...

As for cell phones being the scourge of the highway and causing all these accidents, that may be the media darling but its not nearly as big a problem as they put on. Less than 1% of accidents are caused by cell phones, thats way less than driver error, less than changing radio stations, and less than eating and drinking. Cell phones are another instance of the media creating a problem that doesn't really exist. If you want to save a lot of people make it illegal to eat and drink in a car, that causes much more death than cell phones.

This was a horrible accident that was clearly the Ranger woman's fault but it could have happened had she been fooling with her radio, fixing her hair, trying to adjust her chicken nuggets, etc.

[amf1932]

Cell phones are another instance of the media creating a problem that doesn't really exist.

Really! I find that statement is so inaccurate that I fail to see how you could make it.

I find so many instances while driving that people using cellphones drive very poorly. Drifing into other lanes, driving erratically, etc, etc.

[vcv10guy]

You did a great thing, and definitely above and beyond what anyone can expect. Seeing something like that happen right in front of you is very traumatic. I commend you reacting the way you did. Thanks to you, you have increased the likely hood that the woman in the Maxima will be okay.

As far as the cell phones go, it's not the number one cause of accidents. I remember seeing an article on this and actually cell phones causing accidents was one of the lower reasons on this list they compiled on the ten causes for accidents. Fumbling with the radio and eating/drinking was one of causes on top of the list. I think emotional distress was another one too, but I can't remember. I should have saved that article. <_<

[SW03ES]

Alan- I studied under a psychologist that did an extensive series of experiments involving reaction time while driving when driving normally, driving in the rain with wipers on, talking on a phone, eating and drinking, using a heads up display, driving when intoxicated, driving while manipulating a navigation system and radio controls, and driving while carrying on a discussion with someone else in the car.

The results? If you want to go after the #1 most dangerous thing you can do in the car its use a heads up display. He's currently working with the government to make these illegal on US-spec automovbiles because the lowered reaction times as much as 25% which was similar to intoxication. Second was windshield wipers, then after that came using a cell phone, eating and drinking, carrying on a conversation, using a navigation system which were all just about equal between 10-12% drops in the reaction times.

SO that means yes, cell phones are distracting but they are no MORE distracting than talking to a passenger, drinking a big gulp, changing the radio station and are LESS distracting than using a heads up display or even just driving with the windshield wipers on.

THATS why they're not the awesome danger that the media makes them out to be. Cell phones are very important in our culture and they draw a lot of even envy from people who don't have to be on them. People who talk on cell phones are described as being important, charismatic, wealthy, extroverted, and in demand. These are all positive connotations, you'd be surprised that when asked to describe a picture of a man talking on a cell phone vs the same man not talking on a phone the man on the phone was rated MUCH more favorably.

So, this means naturally people using cell phones can be news, reporters write news to sell newspapers and stories about cell phones do.

You also can't trust your own experience, like everyone else you're programmed to pick out the people on cell phones around you so of course you notice them more.

[vcv10guy]

Whoa..driving with the windshield wipers on is the 2nd most distracting thing while driving ? That's unsettling considering that we use that to see the road while it's raining. Interesting...

[amf1932]

[

People who talk on cell phones are described as being important, charismatic, wealthy, extroverted, and in demand.

Yup......that's me.

[99lsguy]

Army,

What a story I think you did some great, fast thinking!!!

Did you open the drivers door to get to the woman? Unbuckle the seat belt? Just wondering.......

I think that was a good move just keeping her in the car.....probably warmer, certainly more comfy than on the pavement.

Well done!!

[SW03ES]

Whoa..driving with the windshield wipers on is the 2nd most distracting thing while driving    ?  That's unsettling considering that we use that to see the road while it's raining.  Interesting...

←

Yep, thats because of how our system of visual perception works. We automatically focus on whats nearest to us in the direct center of our visual field and we automatically focus on the thing that seems to be moving the fastest or moving the most inside the visual field. Thats why heads up displays are so bad, because people THINK they're watching the road when in reality they are focused on the readout projected onto the windshield and thus, have accidents. Wipers cause much of the same phenomenon because the wiper itself is moving on the glass, closer in our visual field than the roadway, and its moving the most compared to the road, cars around us, etc.

I don't have access to Ovid anymore but I'll see if I can get an e-copy of his study.

[Lexusfreak]

Nice job Army! B)

[ArmyofOne]

Army,

What a story    I think you did some great, fast thinking!!!

Did you open the drivers door to get to the woman?  Unbuckle the seat belt?  Just wondering.......

I think that was a good move just keeping her in the car.....probably warmer, certainly more comfy than on the pavement. 

Well done!!

←

i couldnt open the drivers side door, thats where the car got hit and the ranger had tangled up the metal. i had to go in and out fo the passenger door. i didnt remove the seatbelt, i figured since its mechanisim had locked it would help to keep her in place and still. also i couldnt unbuckle it because i would have riskced further injry, her hips wer smashed between the center consold (which didnt give at all) and the drivers side door which was pushed in a good distance...

[vcv10guy]

Whoa..driving with the windshield wipers on is the 2nd most distracting thing while driving    ?  That's unsettling considering that we use that to see the road while it's raining.  Interesting...

←

Yep, thats because of how our system of visual perception works. We automatically focus on whats nearest to us in the direct center of our visual field and we automatically focus on the thing that seems to be moving the fastest or moving the most inside the visual field. Thats why heads up displays are so bad, because people THINK they're watching the road when in reality they are focused on the readout projected onto the windshield and thus, have accidents. Wipers cause much of the same phenomenon because the wiper itself is moving on the glass, closer in our visual field than the roadway, and its moving the most compared to the road, cars around us, etc.

I don't have access to Ovid anymore but I'll see if I can get an e-copy of his study.

←

That would be an interesting study to read about. Hope you can get access to it Steve.

Josh,

You plan to try and visit the woman at the hospital or are you just going to call her next week like you planned?

[ArmyofOne]

Whoa..driving with the windshield wipers on is the 2nd most distracting thing while driving    ?  That's unsettling considering that we use that to see the road while it's raining.  Interesting...

←

Yep, thats because of how our system of visual perception works. We automatically focus on whats nearest to us in the direct center of our visual field and we automatically focus on the thing that seems to be moving the fastest or moving the most inside the visual field. Thats why heads up displays are so bad, because people THINK they're watching the road when in reality they are focused on the readout projected onto the windshield and thus, have accidents. Wipers cause much of the same phenomenon because the wiper itself is moving on the glass, closer in our visual field than the roadway, and its moving the most compared to the road, cars around us, etc.

I don't have access to Ovid anymore but I'll see if I can get an e-copy of his study.

←

That would be an interesting study to read about. Hope you can get access to it Steve.

Josh,

You plan to try and visit the woman at the hospital or are you just going to call her next week like you planned?

←

i cant get any info out of anyone, i did call her office and she is at baylor medical center. but thats all i could get. ill just call again next week. she will return to work eventually. I would like to meet her under better circumstances though.

[vcv10guy]

Hmm... well hope you get to see her or at least talk to her.

[SW03ES]

No luck finding it anywhere. At the college I went to we have access to all of these things online through a system called OVID, as an alumni I don't have access to it anywhere I'd have to go down to the school and xerox the hardcopy in the journal its published in.

[93lexuses]

Josh,

What you did was great. There is not to many people like that anymore.

[vcv10guy]

No luck finding it anywhere. At the college I went to we have access to all of these things online through a system called OVID, as an alumni I don't have access to it anywhere I'd have to go down to the school and xerox the hardcopy in the journal its published in.

←

Hmm... oh well. Thanks for the effort.

[rnsmelody]

wow.. you did a good thing, at time like this some people wont have the guts to do what u did.. great job