Driver Not Paying Attention: As it turns out, the driver of the Chevy did have operating breaks, and just wasn't paying attention. He claimed he didn't see me at all, even though the lights on my car were fully operational, my headlights, left turn signal and break lights were on, and the road is flat and wide open where I was hit.

Mitsubishi Eclipse Crashed
Derby Kansas

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What Happened: I was stopped, turning left into a residential neighborhood on Rock Road (a 4 lane, main drag from Wichita to Derby). I was watching oncoming traffic (the light ahead of me about 1.5 blocks just turned green), and checking my rearview mirror. I noticed a large red truck coming at me at a very fast speed. I assumed that the driver may have been experiencing break failure because he was not slowing down or changing into the other lane. I punched the gas to try to avoid impact, assuming if he did have breaks, he'd see me by now and slow down, but I was hit anyway. Upon impact, my hands flew off my steering wheel and turned my wipers on full-blast, and I was lifted (but held in by my seatbelt) in my seat, where I received a rug-burn abraision on my lower back. My head whipped forward and hit the back of my seat, causing my whiplash and concussion. I was told by a passing motorist, that my rear spoiler flew about 10 feet into the air and landed on the other side of the road. He was generous enough to pick it up for me, and put it in what was left of my backseat.

As it turns out, the driver of the Chevy did have operating breaks, and just wasn't paying attention. He claimed he didn't see me at all, even though the lights on my car were fully operational, my headlights, left turn signal and break lights were on, and the road is flat and wide open where I was hit.

The Derby Police assume that my airbags did not deploy because I was not completely stationary at the time of impact. I was still rear-ended between 40-45 mph by the truck. I was very lucky that I was wearing my seatbelt, and paying attention to the drivers around me while I was turning. It uld have been a lot worse!

My car was considered totaled, (frame damage and crumpling on both sides of the car due to the force of impact). The truck had a dent in his bumper, some scratches where his paint wore off on my car, and had to replace a headlight cover.

Date: September 11, 2003
Location: Rock Road and Glenn Hills Drive, Derby Kansas Injury: Abraison on lower back from Lumbar Support, Mild Concussion and Moderate Whiplash

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