My first major accident was also as a passenger in a Pontiac Sunbird (1986 model, I believe). It was the early 90's, Fall of 92 or so I think, I was 17. It was Friday night. We had just left the local McDonald's and were headed one county over to meet each other at the bowling alley. We'd gone about a block, and my friend was looking for a rap tape in his console, didn't see the car in front of him stopped to turn left into a driveway until it was just a bit too late (a 1980 Sunbird, ironically). He tried to swerve around her to the right, but clipped her right rear bumper with about 8 inches of his left front. Enough of an impact to total both cars.
My second serious accident involved getting rear-ended while driving my 1993 Chevy S10 with Tahoe Trim package, Camaro rims, and white letter tires (I loved this truck). I was stopped in traffic that was sitting still due to another car suddenly turning left with no room to go around on the right. The turning car was about 3 vehicles ahead of me I'd been stationary for about 10 seconds. The vehicle behind me was a 1989 Ford Bronco that didn't see any of us stopped, ironically because he was looking down to put a tape in his cassette player. He estimated he was going about 55 when he hit me. My truck ended up in a V-shape. Thankfully, the gas tank did not rupture, which was common for that body style of S10, in which the tank was right behind the cab of the truck. Such impacts typically resulted in explosive outcomes. However, he did hit me with such force that my head went up and over the headrest, and impacted the left rear window pane of the cab, shattering it. Quite a feat since, with my 5'4" stature, I had the seat most of the way forward, leaving about 8 inches from the back of the headrest to the glass. I had a horrible case of whiplash that lasted months.
My second serious accident involved getting rear-ended while driving my 1993 Chevy S10 with Tahoe Trim package, Camaro rims, and white letter tires (I loved this truck). I was stopped in traffic that was sitting still due to another car suddenly turning left with no room to go around on the right. The turning car was about 3 vehicles ahead of me I'd been stationary for about 10 seconds. The vehicle behind me was a 1989 Ford Bronco that didn't see any of us stopped, ironically because he was looking down to put a tape in his cassette player. He estimated he was going about 55 when he hit me. My truck ended up in a V-shape. Thankfully, the gas tank did not rupture, which was common for that body style of S10, in which the tank was right behind the cab of the truck. Such impacts typically resulted in explosive outcomes. However, he did hit me with such force that my head went up and over the headrest, and impacted the left rear window pane of the cab, shattering it. Quite a feat since, with my 5'4" stature, I had the seat most of the way forward, leaving about 8 inches from the back of the headrest to the glass. I had a horrible case of whiplash that lasted months.
