PIC: accident.jpg. You can see the cop car behind mine, and the spilled antifreeze is leaking all over the road. 
I'll be getting $3919 for my car; there was $4900 in damage. KBB for my car is $4150, so I'm pretty happy.
UPDATE2: Got a call from Allstate today. Car was totalled, would have cost $4900 to fix it, and it's not worth any more than $4500 at MOST. I'll find out the amount that Allstate will lowball me later this week. Drove a 2000 Subaru Legacy L (4AT) today at the local Scooby dealer. It only has 31,000 miles on it, and it's four years old!! Car feels solid as a rock, clean as hell, and the AWD is something I've been wanting here in MI for a loooong time. My parents bought a brand-new 2004 Outback 35th Anniversary earlier this year and they couldn't be happier. I'll go around sometime this weekend, but if I don't see anything I like, I'll move on this car.
Also, the price for the 2000 Legacy is $12000. Fair? KBB retail for the car is $13000, but it still seems a bit high for a 4-year old car. I'd like to get down to about $11,000 but I'm not tooo picky, as my dad said he'd contribute an extra $1000 in addition to the amount I'll be getting from insurance if I get an automatic trans. car (so he'll be able to drive it if he needs to), so my downpayment will be substantial.
UPDATE: Picked up the police report today at the station (the lady there said it was a miracle that it was filed already...usually it takes 5-7 business days!). The driver who failed to yield was issued a citation. According to the county court website, the fine is $130.00. I've been fielding calls all day from Allstate, and it looks like my car will be totalled and my deductible ($1000) will be waived, obviously, since there was a cite issued.
I'm currently looking at a 2000 Subaru Legacy sedan (dark blue) with about 50,000 miles for (my local Subaru dealer's price) about $12,000. If I can talk the dealer down from $12k to about $11 or even a little lower, I'll move on it. I heard the information on the car secondhand, so I'm not sure of the features or trim level. I'd like it to be a 5-spd, but I'm not picky at this point in time. Also, if the insurance check is sure to help matters, as I'd like to get about $4000 if I can, according to prices that '96 Sentras are selling for in the area.
I was driving home from work today at about 3:40 p.m. I was proceeding through a four-way intersection with a traffic light; my light was green. A woman in a silver Saturn coming the opposite way turned left at the intersection right in front of me (basically she failed to yield to oncoming traffic). I braked hard but I couldn't stop in time. I was going about 30 m.p.h. at the time (which was the speed limit), and my car hit her rear passenger door head on.
I remember thinking to myself, "There's no way I can avoid this accident!" as I approached her car, and the next thing I knew I was choking on airbag gas and dust and trying to feel around for the door handle to get out of the vehicle. I got out of my car in the middle of the intersection, coughing and wheezing, and ran over to the other vehicle to make sure she was okay. She was, there are no significant injuries at this point in time.
I'm surprised that I was aware enough to think straight, but I ran over to another vehicle that was near the accident and asked her to stick around as a witness, so that she could provide an objective view of the accident circumstances. She first asked if I was all right, and afterwards agreed to stick around until the police arrived. The gentleman in the house closest to the accident also came out and waited with us until the police arrived.
At the moment the accident happened, I had my hand on the horn, so my lower arm got burned badly from the airbag explosion. All the hair on my hand and wrist is singed off, and there's a distinct line of hair where my jacket protected my arm from the airbag burns. My wrist and the area between my thumb and forefinger is blistered and red, and it's painful.
The damage to my vehicle (1996 Nissan Sentra 1.6l) is substantial. Both airbags deployed, the radiator was crushed, all coolant was lost, significant hood damage, the windshield was shattered, and the front bumper landed about 10 feet away from the vehicle. I am not a body expert by any means, but I would hazard a guess that there is at least minor frame damage.
I called 911 from the scene and an officer was dispatched. No EMS responded because there were no serious injuries. The officer took information from both myself and the woman involved, and filled out a report. After speaking to both of us, he spoke to the witness I had secured and she confirmed the situation (that I had been going straight and that the woman in the Saturn had failed to yield). I asked him if he needed a statement or declaration of fault from either driver, and he said "It looks pretty clear what happened here. I don't need any additional information from you." I'm confident that his decision of fault rests with the other driver, but I can't remember what he said to her or if he issued a citation...I was too shaken up to concentrate that well on his words to the other driver.
My car had to be towed to a body shop (took it to the local dealer where I bought it). I'll be taking the bus to school for the next week (or several, depending on whether the car is totalled or not, and whether I'll be shopping for a new one).
I carry a disposable film camera in the car and I took a couple pictures of the scene. The camera is pretty old, but I'll get it developed ASAP and post pics here as soon as I can.
The important thing is that I'm all right. It could have been much worse (say, if the speed limit was 45 mph instead of 30 mph), but it will definitely be a hassle-filled last three weeks of school. I have to not only study for upcoming finals and finish several papers, but I have to look around for a new car.
I'm leaning toward new (because of the great financing deals available currently) but my parents are leaning toward late-model used. Obviously, I have no clue what I'm in the market for, but if my car is, in fact totalled, I'll need a new one ASAP. The insurance money will likely help in that situation.
Any suggestions on late-model used (WRX? Insurance = ouch!) or new (Mazda 3 or Sentra SE-R Spec V, possibly?) cars for me? Provide them here.
Thanks for reading this far.
Spark Notes:
Woman failed to yield to oncoming traffic and turned left right in front of me.
My airbags deployed, significant damage to my vehicle.
No injuries.
Suggestions for a new car in case mine is totalled?
I'll be getting $3919 for my car; there was $4900 in damage.
KBB for my car is $4150, so I'm pretty happy.UPDATE2: Got a call from Allstate today. Car was totalled, would have cost $4900 to fix it, and it's not worth any more than $4500 at MOST. I'll find out the amount that Allstate will lowball me later this week.
Drove a 2000 Subaru Legacy L (4AT) today at the local Scooby dealer. It only has 31,000 miles on it, and it's four years old!! Car feels solid as a rock, clean as hell, and the AWD is something I've been wanting here in MI for a loooong time. My parents bought a brand-new 2004 Outback 35th Anniversary earlier this year and they couldn't be happier. I'll go around sometime this weekend, but if I don't see anything I like, I'll move on this car.Also, the price for the 2000 Legacy is $12000. Fair? KBB retail for the car is $13000, but it still seems a bit high for a 4-year old car. I'd like to get down to about $11,000 but I'm not tooo picky, as my dad said he'd contribute an extra $1000 in addition to the amount I'll be getting from insurance if I get an automatic trans. car (so he'll be able to drive it if he needs to), so my downpayment will be substantial.
UPDATE: Picked up the police report today at the station (the lady there said it was a miracle that it was filed already...usually it takes 5-7 business days!). The driver who failed to yield was issued a citation. According to the county court website, the fine is $130.00. I've been fielding calls all day from Allstate, and it looks like my car will be totalled and my deductible ($1000) will be waived, obviously, since there was a cite issued.
I'm currently looking at a 2000 Subaru Legacy sedan (dark blue) with about 50,000 miles for (my local Subaru dealer's price) about $12,000. If I can talk the dealer down from $12k to about $11 or even a little lower, I'll move on it. I heard the information on the car secondhand, so I'm not sure of the features or trim level. I'd like it to be a 5-spd, but I'm not picky at this point in time. Also, if the insurance check is sure to help matters, as I'd like to get about $4000 if I can, according to prices that '96 Sentras are selling for in the area.
I was driving home from work today at about 3:40 p.m. I was proceeding through a four-way intersection with a traffic light; my light was green. A woman in a silver Saturn coming the opposite way turned left at the intersection right in front of me (basically she failed to yield to oncoming traffic). I braked hard but I couldn't stop in time. I was going about 30 m.p.h. at the time (which was the speed limit), and my car hit her rear passenger door head on.
I remember thinking to myself, "There's no way I can avoid this accident!" as I approached her car, and the next thing I knew I was choking on airbag gas and dust and trying to feel around for the door handle to get out of the vehicle. I got out of my car in the middle of the intersection, coughing and wheezing, and ran over to the other vehicle to make sure she was okay. She was, there are no significant injuries at this point in time.
I'm surprised that I was aware enough to think straight, but I ran over to another vehicle that was near the accident and asked her to stick around as a witness, so that she could provide an objective view of the accident circumstances. She first asked if I was all right, and afterwards agreed to stick around until the police arrived. The gentleman in the house closest to the accident also came out and waited with us until the police arrived.
At the moment the accident happened, I had my hand on the horn, so my lower arm got burned badly from the airbag explosion. All the hair on my hand and wrist is singed off, and there's a distinct line of hair where my jacket protected my arm from the airbag burns. My wrist and the area between my thumb and forefinger is blistered and red, and it's painful.
The damage to my vehicle (1996 Nissan Sentra 1.6l) is substantial. Both airbags deployed, the radiator was crushed, all coolant was lost, significant hood damage, the windshield was shattered, and the front bumper landed about 10 feet away from the vehicle. I am not a body expert by any means, but I would hazard a guess that there is at least minor frame damage.
I called 911 from the scene and an officer was dispatched. No EMS responded because there were no serious injuries. The officer took information from both myself and the woman involved, and filled out a report. After speaking to both of us, he spoke to the witness I had secured and she confirmed the situation (that I had been going straight and that the woman in the Saturn had failed to yield). I asked him if he needed a statement or declaration of fault from either driver, and he said "It looks pretty clear what happened here. I don't need any additional information from you." I'm confident that his decision of fault rests with the other driver, but I can't remember what he said to her or if he issued a citation...I was too shaken up to concentrate that well on his words to the other driver.
My car had to be towed to a body shop (took it to the local dealer where I bought it). I'll be taking the bus to school for the next week (or several, depending on whether the car is totalled or not, and whether I'll be shopping for a new one).
I carry a disposable film camera in the car and I took a couple pictures of the scene. The camera is pretty old, but I'll get it developed ASAP and post pics here as soon as I can.
The important thing is that I'm all right. It could have been much worse (say, if the speed limit was 45 mph instead of 30 mph), but it will definitely be a hassle-filled last three weeks of school. I have to not only study for upcoming finals and finish several papers, but I have to look around for a new car.
I'm leaning toward new (because of the great financing deals available currently) but my parents are leaning toward late-model used. Obviously, I have no clue what I'm in the market for, but if my car is, in fact totalled, I'll need a new one ASAP. The insurance money will likely help in that situation.
Any suggestions on late-model used (WRX? Insurance = ouch!) or new (Mazda 3 or Sentra SE-R Spec V, possibly?) cars for me? Provide them here.
Thanks for reading this far.
Spark Notes:
Woman failed to yield to oncoming traffic and turned left right in front of me.
My airbags deployed, significant damage to my vehicle.
No injuries.
Suggestions for a new car in case mine is totalled?
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