Do you ever wonder how many car wrecks are really accidental?

kranky

Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
21,019
156
106
Once or twice a month I will see a story in the local paper about a fatal car crash with these characteristics:
- Driver not drunk
- Alone in car
- Not wearing seatbelt
- Drove off the road and hit a tree/pole/bridge abutment, ejected from car, fatal injuries
- Often happens during the day
- "Speed was a factor" frequently mentioned
- No one witnessed the accident

I wonder how many of these situations are accidental, and how many are someone's way of committing suicide but making it look like an accident. Unless the people who don't wear seatbelts are just unbelievably unlucky.
 

CPA

Elite Member
Nov 19, 2001
30,322
4
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I've had the same thought. Then again, I've had thoughts of doing something like that run through my head as I was driving. Never acted on it though. :p
 

compman25

Diamond Member
Jan 12, 2006
3,767
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Wrecks with survivors are boring news stories. So they don't get reported on as often.
 

Mojoed

Diamond Member
Jul 20, 2004
4,473
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81
A friend of mine is a cop in a nearby town. I hear stories all the time about accidents like this. He tells me it's quite common for these accidents to be caused by people texting while driving.

I'm surprised there aren't more accidents due to texting quite honestly. I can't even count how many times I've seen cars swerve wildly, only to look over and see the driver palming his/her phone. :roll:
 

SparkyJJO

Lifer
May 16, 2002
13,357
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Get off the freakin' phone and drive darnit....

Oh, and girls, your mirror is not for putting makeup on while driving either...
 

jagec

Lifer
Apr 30, 2004
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If a meteor hits your car and you crash, that's an accident. Everything else is driver error.
 

Wheezer

Diamond Member
Nov 2, 1999
6,731
1
81
My grandfather used to say that "outside acts of nature, there are no accidents....just careless people"...one of the most true statements I have ever heard, especially when it comes to automobile "accidents".
 

Deeko

Lifer
Jun 16, 2000
30,213
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Originally posted by: jagec
If a meteor hits your car and you crash, that's an accident. Everything else is driver error.

....which was generally unintended, and thus, an 'accident' by definition of the word :roll:
 

Deeko

Lifer
Jun 16, 2000
30,213
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Originally posted by: Wheezer
My grandfather used to say that "outside acts of nature, there are no accidents....just careless people"...one of the most true statements I have ever heard, especially when it comes to automobile "accidents".

your grandfather needs a dictionary
 

Pepsei

Lifer
Dec 14, 2001
12,895
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Originally posted by: Deeko
Originally posted by: jagec
If a meteor hits your car and you crash, that's an accident. Everything else is driver error.

....which was generally unintended, and thus, an 'accident' by definition of the word :roll:

well, at the driving school (to get off the ticket), they keep drilling into us that almost all "accidents" are preventable. i guess that is what he meant?
 

Deeko

Lifer
Jun 16, 2000
30,213
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I understand that, but the definition of 'accident', according to webster, is an unforseen occurance, often caused by carelessness....so.....I'd say the use of the word 'accident' is pretty much perfect for most car wrecks, wouldn't you?
 

Wheezer

Diamond Member
Nov 2, 1999
6,731
1
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Originally posted by: Deeko
I understand that, but the definition of 'accident', according to webster, is an unforseen occurance, often caused by carelessness....so.....I'd say the use of the word 'accident' is pretty much perfect for most car wrecks, wouldn't you?

Then the dictionary needs to be re-looked at because carelessness is avoidable if you pay attention to wtf you are doing when you are doing it......or am I missing something here?

Dictionary.com:

Carelessness

1. Taking insufficient care; negligent: a careless housekeeper; careless proofreading.
2. Marked by or resulting from lack of forethought or thoroughness: a careless mistake.
3. Showing a lack of consideration: a careless remark.
4. Unconcerned or indifferent; heedless: careless of the consequences.
5. Unstudied or effortless: danced with careless grace.
6. Exhibiting a disposition that is free from cares; cheerful: a careless grin; a careless wave of the hand.

each one of those is within human control is it not?

Therefore there are no accidents that are outside human control other than acts of nature. (even then nutjob wackos will say it is due to global warming from humans....but that is another discussion all together.)
 

Deeko

Lifer
Jun 16, 2000
30,213
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Main Entry: ac·ci·dent
Pronunciation: \'ak-s?-d?nt, -?dent; 'aks-d?nt\
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin accident-, accidens nonessential quality, chance, from present participle of accidere to happen, from ad- + cadere to fall ? more at chance
Date: 14th century
1 a: an unforeseen and unplanned event or circumstance b: lack of intention or necessity : chance <met by accident rather than by design>
2 a: an unfortunate event resulting especially from carelessness or ignorance b: an unexpected and medically important bodily event especially when injurious <a cerebrovascular accident> c: an unexpected happening causing loss or injury which is not due to any fault or misconduct on the part of the person injured but for which legal relief may be sought d?used euphemistically to refer to an involuntary act or instance of urination or defecation

The fact that you can control it, does not mean it wasn't an accident. 'Accident' simply means you didn't mean to do it. If you do something careless that causes something bad to happen....its an accident, by definition.
 

StageLeft

No Lifer
Sep 29, 2000
70,150
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i had not thought of it, but it's a damn bad way to kill oneself because most accidents, even severe ones, will not kill you like this and there's nothing worse than being in such a state you want to die and then on top of that compounding it by being in the hospital for major injuries, like the guy who killed himself by drinking drain declogger. Except he didn't and now has to massage his food manually down his throat since his swallowing abilities are gone. Geeze, if he had a reason before, he really must now.
 

LTC8K6

Lifer
Mar 10, 2004
28,520
1,575
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How many of them crashed while trying to avoid the idiot who was drinking or texting or reading the paper or falling asleep? The idiot just drives on, blissfully unaware that he just ran someone off the road.