Just over a year ago I was rear-ended on the Beltway (the major freeway that surrounds Washington DC). The damage to my car looked superficial and I was able to drive home. The two cars behind me had to be towed on a flatbed. The car in front of me left before the police came and only had a smudge on their bumper.
It was the most serious accident I’ve ever been in. At 53, I’ve been in a couple, but nothing serious like this. My car was considered totaled in this accident. There was damage to the frame so it was cheaper for the insurance company to cut me a check than it was to repair it. I really liked that car.
But the fact that nobody was seriously injured, everybody was able to get out of their cars, that’s amazing. Safety engineering is incredible. And I thank those engineers for ensuring I was safe even though somebody was on their phone and didn’t notice traffic slowing down.
