Everything was fine until my bride asked to be taken to Walmart. In fact, the trip to Walmart was okay, and even the stroll through the aisles that once boasted "beware of falling prices", a theme that's been lost it would seem.

The trip home (a mere three miles) ended-up with our car being rear-ended at an intersection that I navagate everyday, except this time around the Ford Bronco following me didn't stop for the red traffic light after I and two vehices in front of me did. Shucks. I don't think my bride or I suffered any grave injuries, although I have a few aches and pains that come with that sort of event and my bride is still a nervous wreck, something bearing my watching because of her heart condidtion.

Anyway, my trusty Olds Cierra is about twelve inches shorter now and, while still drivable, looks like hell. WE have curtailed our driving recently but I guess the old adage that more accidents happen close to home that far away is true.

YES, YES, YES! We were snuggly belted into our seat belts. And even though the lady who plowed into us claimed her "foot slipped off of the accelerator" I kind'a have my doubts that she every touched her brakes because her front bumber went over the top of my rear bumper and shoved the trunk partway into the rear seat -- I and think that if I hadn't still had my foot planted firmly on the brake peddle we might've did a number on the fancy SUV just ahead of us.

YES, AGAIN, she was cited for her carelessness.

Oh, well! A guy wins a few and loses a few.

Have a nice weekend.

Gramps

First of all, I am so glad the two of you were not hurt badly and seriously.

I do hope the gal who hit you has insurance (Kansas law to have at least liability insurance if one's vehicle is paid for, and full coverage if not), and that her carrier happilty replaces your car or has it made 'whole' again.

Only last week, on the four lane between Winfield and Arkansas City, a girl rear-ended a trailer rig, carrying asphalt. The rig was stopped at a railroad crossing, and the HUGE 'bumper sticker' on the back end of the trailer, proclaimed proudly, 'This vehicle STOPS at ALL railroad crossings'.

Either she couldn't read (18 years old) or was busy reading what she was text messaging....for she ploughed into the stopped truck, full speed ahead. The truck driver was uninjured...had his seat belt on. She DIDN'T...a violation in Kansas, in itself.

It took emergency and rescue crews 45 minutes using the jaws of life, to extricate her, and get her into a waiting medi-vac helicopter, for the flight to Wichita, where as of yesterday, she remains in critical condition.

IF she survives, she might make a good advocate, for speaking to high school students, and adult groups, on the importance of 'while driving, drive ONLY...or something like that.

What a price to pay for learning to pay attention!

Again, glad the two of you are okay...a person can't drive only for himself these days...you have to 'drive' and second guess the IDIOTS out there as well.

Thank goodness, neither of you were seriously injjured! It takes a few days for the shock to travel through one's system. We all have an autmatic reflex that tells our boies to stiffen and that only worsens the shock. The reason drunks are rarely injured severly is that their bodies are lrelaxed and ike wet noodles.

I hope the woman takes some driving lessons before she ventures onto the roads again.

the talks and demonstrations to high schools do little good. We've done several of them. Tears and photo's and all.

And while it might take a few cards out of the deck as they contemplate what happened to their friends, there are still enough cards left to keep the statistics largely the same.

They aren't statistics to their families or friends or other people who have lost children to these "accidents", but teens have this sense of immortality.

We recently lost two teen brothers in the same accident in our county. More families devastated.

And unfortunately it is just a matter of time before another teen dies.

a larger automobile with US safety standards.

I rear ended a British-export Ford Escort with my little three cylinder Dihaitsu Charade (US Imported-US Safety standards)...and the Ford Escort crumpled up and put the trunk into it's back seat. My Dihaitsu was able to be driven from the scene.

Oh, and the accident wasn't my fault. The Bobbies cited the other driver for pulling out in front of me.

Glad to hear you and yours are okay.

I fully understand where you are coming from Berz, but as far as I'm concerned, if even one or two are so impressed by such a talk, that it causes THEM to mend their (driving) ways, then that is a benefit, though small to be sure.

One would be surprised at the number of adults, who share the same thinking as do the teens, about their immortality.

Those are the ones I included in my use of the word 'idiots'...and that isn't just limited to teens.

The only sure fire method, would be to make everyone WALK everywhere:-)

Your experience proves my statement that just because you are being careful and correct with your own driving, you still have to drive for the idiots.

That includes being aware of what every driver along side you, in front of you, or behind and even to the intersection beside you, 'is doing, or going to do'....as best you can. It's defensive driving and your life depends on it.

Only a fool thinks that the other guy will stop, when he is supposed to.

And how about the drivers who treat a big RED STOP SIGN, like a 'yield' sign, and refuse to stop completely? Usually a slow down and a 'rolling stop' (which isn't a stop at all and illegal as hell) is the best they will do!

in every car. Wouldn't be that hard to implement. Or one of those systems that evaluates your eye movements...that would also cover "tired" drivers.

Of course it won't do anything about inattentive, incompetent, or reckless drivers...but about a third of accidents might be prevented. That is a pretty significant number.

It would take years to fully implement by just installing it into all new vehicles...but if we don't start, we'll never get there.

Like drilling for new oil, or Nuclear Power Plants.

guy when you are driving. There has to be. After all, if you are driving 45 on a two lane road and another vehicle is in their lane coming towards you also at 45...you have to trust he/she is going to stay in their own lane.

Otherwise we all pull over and wait for the other guy to pass.

THAT ain't gonna happen.

Unfortunately, that trust is violated in some small percentage of time, but with billions of such passess every day, even a small percentage leads to 42K dead every year.

...you have both of your bodies x-rayed where the seat belt crosses your body. What will not show up immediately may be a cracked rib or hernia where the belt actually pulls apart the center of your chest. These injuries take a long time to heal and the hernia never will.

Seasoldier/With deepest sympathies for you and your wife.

[Feeling safe with seat belts poorly designed or not even connected.]