It was a completely normal evening in October of 1999, right before Halloween. At the time, I lived in Plymouth, a western suburb of Minneapolis. I was driving my trusty Dodge Neon home from a sketching class in Minneapolis. As I merged onto northbound Highway 169 from westbound I-394, the car in front of me (very close, since I was merging into traffic) inexplicably slammed on its brakes. Instantly, I verified that there weren’t any close vehicles in the left lane and changed lanes. I over corrected, lost control of the car, and hit the center divider. The cement divider absorbed a lot of momentum and drastically slowed my car. The air bag deployed, flinging my glasses into the back seat. And then, everything that wasn’t already blurred crashing and motion became blurred crashing and motion and light as my car was rear ended by a semi, flung across the right lane, and hit the divider just past the exit for Betty Crocker Drive.
Within moments, several people had called 911, pulled over, and were talking to me through the shattered driver’s window. (Thank you, whoever you were.) Someone retrieved my hiking boots (formerly in the trunk) from the highway. The semi driver had pulled over and was hiking back down the shoulder to my car. Someone saw my severely bent glasses in the backseat and handed them to me. I got out of the car. The highway patrol arrived and began asking me if I had any idea how lucky I was. Yes. Yes, I really did have an idea.
The ambulance arrived. I remember sitting inside the ambulance and refusing transport, so they bandaged my left hand, which had gone through the driver’s window at some point, suggested that I clean up and re-bandage my hand when I got home, and let me go. After a tow truck arrived to remove my totaled car, the nice highway patrol officers gave me a ride home.
I was in shock, but didn’t really grasp that yet. I went into my apartment, logged into my email, and, with one hand, typed and sent an email to a friend about the experience. His response was near-instantaneous and very freaked out. Huh. (Shock, you know.) I wandered into the bathroom, pulled off the makeshift bandage, and realized I could see the bone in one my fingers. The shock started to recede and I started to get pretty darn freaked out myself. I called my dad (who was living in an inner ring southern suburb of Minneapolis at the time) and told him I thought I needed to go to the ER. He arrived amazingly fast to take me to the ER. Turned out I needed some glass removed, plus a few stitches.
Doesn’t really look so bad from the front, does it? You can see where I hit the divider. And perhaps the back bumper being draped across the hood doesn’t bode well.
Hmm. Don’t Neons usually have trunks?
I have made that same merge many, many times since then, as it’s part of my route to work. In fact, when I’m at work, I can walk about 50 feet, look out the window, and see the spot of my accident. I don’t think of it much anymore, but every now and then (especially around Halloween), I think of it. And feel pretty lucky.
Wear your seatbelts. Really.
Wow, Chris! Thank goodness it wasn’t worse. Did they ever catch the jerk who slammed his/her brakes for no reason?
Same kind of thing – seatbelt saved me. Closed head injury, broken pelvis and collarbone here. Women had a diabetic seizure and slammed me going 60 and I was stopped at a light. My parents still wont show me the pics but when you survive these things…it changes you. Thanks for sharing…it makes me more thankful.
I’m thankful you walked away, too. What an amazing story of what can happen in the blink of an eye. 🙂
I wouldn’t be here if I hadn’t worn my seatbelt, either. Shock, an injured knee, but otherwise OK. My friend and I still say, even almost 20 years later, “Wow, we could have died.”
Wow – yes, you were very lucky, and thank God for seatbelts! They saved my life, too, back when I was about 20 and feel asleep while driving on the freeway. I tell my kids the story ALL THE TIME. Wear your seatbelts!!
We always wear ours. And I used to drive a Neon (Number Guy still does so I do sometimes as well) until the minivan upgrade. Nice little car and, yes, a trunk is standard equipment.
Your guardian angel (and those of the other drivers) were on their toes that night!
Holy cow! If that had happened to me, I might have been tempted to give up driving on freeways altogether.
It’s frightening how quickly things are out of our control. Seat belts are a way of keeping control. Thank goodness you were only cut by glass!
Holy crap! I’m totally shocked that you still drive the same route after the accident… I’ve hardly driven since mine a few years ago. We were told that my seatbelt and my son’s good quality (and properly installed!!) safety seat saved both of our lives… I was very lucky, just like you were.
Remind me to tell you about my sister-in-law’s near brush. I’m so glad you walkd away from that mess. It was so you could make a difference in a lot of other people’s lives you know!!!
Wow. You are very lucky. Put me in with the folks who always wear their seatbelt. I’m rather obsessive about it actually.
Wow – hard to believe you walked away from that. Thank God you were wearing your seatbelt.
Whoa, Chris! That was lucky!
I won’t even get into a car with someone who won’t wear a seatbelt. Or talk on a cellphone for that matter.
Needless to say, I’m very glad you were OK. (Ew, you could see the bone? Ew.)
Amazing! So glad you were okay.
Yikes! I can’t believe they didn’t put you on a board and take you to the hospital, that was quite a hit.
On another note, that same neon was my first car 🙂
Yow! Chalk another one up for seatbelts!
Thank goodness for seatbelts and airbags. And backseats.
I’ve been in a couple of accidents, none of which have been even remotely as bad, and no injuries in any case (well, I did have a big bump on my leg for quite a few months from one of them). It’s amazing what a small thing like a seatbelt can do to save lives.
We’re all lucky you walked away from it.
Wow! I’m glad you came away from it.
My brother gave me credit for saving his life. Years ago when I drove him to school everyday, I refused to crank up until his seatbelt was fastened; he was in middle school, so a bit smart alec and we fought about it a bit, but I never cranked up til it was on. He got in the habit and thankfully still practices it. He was in a wreck a few years ago and was told that he wouldn’t be here without the seatbelt. He actually thanked me for making him put it on all those years ago.
Wow indeed. You were very very lucky that day.
Speaking of seatbelts: When my brother and I were very little, my mom told us that the car “wouldn’t work” unless everyone in it was wearing his or her seatbelt. She even faked trying unsuccessfully to start the car. We totally believed her. To this day, seatbelt-wearing is an automatic thing for me.
Chris- Woo- I have goosebumps just reading about it.
Actually, I had a Neon, and I hated it from the start. Hated driving it, hated sitting in it, hated it.
Did I mention I hated it?
Oh my God- thank heavens you’re all right!
Wow – how scary! You were definitely lucky. I used to drive a Toyota Corolla (which I loved), but got rear-ended by a Suburban. Even though it wasn’t a severe impact, it did a lot of damage. I was so nervous about it I sold it and got a Bonneville, thinking I’d never drive a small car like that again. It took a long time to get over that, but here I am, driving a sub-compact again. I really miss that Bonneville. But it sucked in the snow.
I’m one of those “crazy” seat-belt believers too; nothing stops me from putting mine on or insisting that there are enough to go around. So glad you survived that horrible accident – not sure how I’d feel making that same merge every day…
Yikes! Wow, what a scary story. I’m so glad you made it through that safely.
Marsha – I used to do the same thing with my nephew! He tried to outsmart me by taking off his seat belt, or squirming out from under it, after the car was started. Since he was little enough that I made him ride in the back seat, he never saw me push in the clutch to make the car “die” when he did this. It only took a few weeks and he knew that he *always* had to wear his seat belt in my car. 🙂
WOAH.
I’m so glad you walked away.
Wow, what a scary story! I had my own accident (in which I wasn’t driving) where it was obvious how the seatbelt saved me – I broke my collarbone because of the seatbelt! I’m so glad you’re okay!
Wow, that was scary. The car makes you realise how bad it was, and how lucky you were.
holy crap. there isn’t a single picture of your cats in this post.
oh yeah… and holy crap about that accident too
That makes me freak out just looking at it. I’m glad you were okay!! I’m sort of surprised they just let you go & didn’t make you go to the hospital though.
Holy wreckage! I’m so happy you were/are OK!
Ok I see that it’s been said already, but WOW. And the fact that while the front end was damaged and the back end is almost nonexistent, the passenger part of the car is nearly perfect. Great way to absorb the crash! Makes me feel the Neon is safer than it looks…..
This gave me chills…wow. Very, very scary!
Holy crap is right. You are one lucky lady, and we’re all lucky you survived that mess! Car vs. semi usually has an unpleasant outcome. I NEVER go without my seatbelt buckled.
Oh, my god. Chris. That is so, so scary.
Seatbelts every time here. It’s against the law not to and it is just part of the normal routine now. Very few people complain about it, anymore.
Thank the angels that were watching over you on that day! Holy Cow! I never would’ve imagined a Dodge Neon could withstand all that and keep you intact!
My god, Chris, you were soooo lucky. I am so thankful for you. Modern automotive design and engineering has done a tremendous amount of good. Your tiny Neon was hit by a semi! and you walked away!! with [relatively] minor injuries!!! Thank FSM for seat belts and passenger compartment integrity. And just plain luck.
Our boys had it drilled into their heads to wear their seat belts, so I don’t have to worry about that particular thing. However, Smokey is a rather drifty about putting on his seat belt, and I have formed the habit to check on him when we leave home. After reading your story I shall be a bit more vigilant about doing it sooner rather than later in the trip.
I’m so glad you walked away or we would have never met and my life wouldn’t be as rich as it is now we have. Hug x
Wow! I am thanking whatever deity or lucky stars that you *did* escape with relatively minor injuries.
Yes, seatbelts unequivocally save lives! Wearing mine one night kept me from going through the windshield even though the truck hit on my side of the car. Both the driver and the back-seat passenger had to be hospitalized. I had nothing worse than a bruised thigh where the door hit my leg.
Wow! and you walked away from that – amazing.
Sobering. Thank heaven you were ok, but, what a frightening experience nine years ago.
Oh, Chris. Wow. We’re lucky to have you safe and sound!
BTW, my husband (who’s from Milwaukee) is terrified of all the quick merges on the Twin Cities freeways. They’re particularly tricky.
Holy crap. I’m speechless. But so glad that you made it through that ordeal okay. (Shock is freaky!)
What is it about Halloween and car accidents? We had one last year on the way to trick-or-treat with the grandkids and were fortunate to walk away with minor injuries from our demolished car. I also pass that spot almost daily and still pay very close attention to other drivers until I get past it. Screeching brakes still freak me out. So glad you weren’t badly injured!
Thanks for sharing. I was in a car accident too (and walked away from the accident) and it took me nearly two years before I felt comfortable riding in a car. I still get pissy when the driver talk on a phone or do something “distracting” while I’m in the car too.
edited to add: Side airbags are what saved us. We always wear seatbelts and now I’ll never have a car without side-airbags if I can help it.
Whoooo…. You were lucky! I pretty much have always gone to the ER after bad accidents (I think that would be two). One time I was on one of those back boards because I said my neck hurt, and then I got to the hospital and had to pee, but they wouldn’t let me up. The nurse made me use a bedpan, strapped to the board. She had to help, and YOU KNOW I was wearing the tattiest dingiest panties. Which I threw away when I got home. I could hear my mother “always wear clean underwear, what if you have an accident or something”.
Wow, you really were lucky!
You were very lucky. I would think an out of control Neon and a semi would end up so well. I always wear my seat belt.
Many years ago I was in a much more minor accident. My car had some serious damage but it was driveable so I went on to work. After I got there, my neck started huring so a co-worker encouraged me to go to the emergency room. So I did and as soon as I told them what happened, they stuck me on a back board with sand bags beside my head. I was fine but apparently it’s not that unusual for people to drive themselves to the emergency room with fractured vertebra.