My daughter was in a car accident yesterday

Parent Cafe
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<p>I was lying in bed yesterday morning having just said the words I always say to my 18 year old daughter (the subject of all my questions on this forum)before she heads off to school or anywhere else…“Drive carefully, I love you.” About 5 minutes or so later I got a call from her and she was crying saying she was in a wreck. It happened at the intersection just several yards from our home. My brother in law had heard the accident and came to the scene. My daughter was waiting at the stop sign for several cars to pass so she could proceed. Obviously, she could not see the one she drove out in front of and it hit her broadside in the driver’s side. When I got there, I saw the truck that hit her in a ditch, but I could not see her car. I looked and looked and then I saw it, WAY, WAY, FAR across a field. She did not remember at first what had happened, but after awhile she said she remembered that as she hit the ditch and went across the field, she tried to hit the brakes but they would not work. The field was muddy and it probably just slid all the way over there. Now in retrospect, and viewing the field again where there are NO tracks (and it was muddy), I think the car went into the air and landed there.</p>

<p>She had blood all over her face and clothes, but the only injury she sustained is a small cut to her hand. The other driver was not hurt either thank goodness.</p>

<p>Everyone, I don’t know that all who read this message believes in God or not, but it is our firm belief that the Lord himself saved her from a certain death. The passenger seat where she sat was reduced to an area of maybe a foot, where she had her feet, there is an area less than that. The driver’s window glass…totally gone and shattered lying in the seat where she sat. The driver’s side panel is almost where the passenger seat is. The car is totally destroyed inside and out even on the other sides of the car. I knew it was a total loss and the Ins. adjuster confirmed that it is. He said he saw a car with just such damage the other day and the boy was killed.</p>

<p>Only a few minutes earlier, she was happy, smiling, looking forward to Valentine’s day and telling me she loved me, off for another day of her senior year in high school. So full of life, the most intelligent person I know, the light of my whole life. I am so sobered by the thought that I could have lost her just so quickly in a split second. But God spared by child. </p>

<p>She is deeply troubled at having pulled out in front of this car, and has gone over in her mind over and over trying to figure out how this happened, but she simply did not see the car.</p>

<p>I went out to the car (we had it towed to our yard) to get all her things out. As I was cleaning, I saw bits and pieces of her life…her flute, her school books, her pay stub from a part time job she has, a picture of her church she drew, her art award, all mixed in with pieces of glass and mangled up car material. All the parts of her life…her precious life that was spared.</p>

<p>Everyone, please be thankful of the people you have in your life. And make very sure that you tell them you love them all the time. </p>

<p>She drove a Honda Civic and I’d like to tell everyone what a very safe car they are. They are built well and the driver’s side airbag made all the difference in the world. The Ins. adjuster said that is what saved her…but I know who really did.</p>

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<p>I am so glad she is all right, and thank you for the reminder to appreciate what we have.</p>

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<p>Salem I’m so glad that your daughter is ok. This must have been a terrible scare for you and please give yourself time to feel better. Give her a giant hug!</p>

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<p>So glad your daughter is okay!! And good for you for getting the Honda Civic with side airbags.</p>

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<p>Thank heaven your daughter is safe, Salem.
My daughter also drives a Civic – I feel good about that right about now!</p>

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<p>Everyone of us has made similar mistakes in driving–sometimes the mind does not work the way we expect it to. Tell her not to dwell on it and just to be happy she is OK and I hope the other driver is really OK too (some aches and pains come later). You might quietly prepare for a possible lawsuit if she was at fault. Talk to your attorney just in case.</p>

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<p>Salem:</p>

<p>I am so happy that your daughter is okay! Your story reflected mine so closely! Every morning as my daughter drives off to school (with younger DD in tow) I always say “Drive safely . . . I love you.” Just the other day, she asked me why I always tell her to drive safely. She said that it wasn’t like she wouldn’t if I didn’t tell her to. I told her that my own mother still says the very same thing to me whenever I drive off from seeing her and that its something I will always say. I guess its just something moms do.</p>

<p>At the end of your post I got a real chill. We also bought my DD a Honda Civic. A big selling point to us was all of the safety features, most especially all of the air bags.</p>

<p>Again, I am so glad your daughter is okay!</p>

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<p>What a mercy! I’m so thankful for the Lord’s mercy on your family. </p>

<p>I had an accident like that when I was 19 or 20. I still feel shaky and guilty when I think about it here 20+ years later. Poor thing. Give her a hug and some special pampering this weekend!</p>

<p>You know, my second son had his first behind-the-wheel driver’s ed yesterday. As Dr. Dobson said, “It takes nerves of steel to be a parent.” :-)</p>

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<p>I am so glad that your daughter is okay. I did the same thing at 17. I never saw the car when I pulled out. I woke up in the hospital. To this day I take an extra few seconds before I pull out and I don’t care if impatient people are behind me. Now I have a new driver and I worry alot, but you need to trust them and hope they will be very careful. Take care and give her an extra hug.</p>

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<p>This is hands down my biggest nightmare.
I am so happy that your daughter is okay.</p>

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<p>Thank God your daughter is okay…you both must still be trembling. As with most parents, this is our worst nightmare every time they go out.</p>

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<p>I say you’re right, salem. There was intervention. Perhaps it first occured when you chose the car with the airbags, but for sure when the accident occured.</p>

<p>I’m so glad your daughter is safe.</p>

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<p>I had goose-bumps reading the tale of your daughter’s accident. How lucky she and you were! Hugs to you, I am sure you too are still shaking. Lorelei</p>

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<p>So thankful your daughter is OK :slight_smile:
I was in a very bad freeway accident many (14 )years ago. My car was totalled, but I escaped almost unharmed - not counting severe brusing and a black eye. It has changed my outlook on life - I think that I do really take it one day at a time and am thankful for what I have.
Also, after my incident that was totally weather related, I am a much better driver. Hopefully this is also a learning experience for your daughter:-)</p>

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<p>Words are beyond what I can express to you. I am so very thankful your daughter was spared. So thankful. My kids don’t have cars yet, but from your story I’ll be sure that even if they buy a used one, it’ll have a side air-bag. I believe in God but I also think God needs some tools here on earth to kick in. It’s a partnership. </p>

<p>Hugs to your D and your family. I’m sure it’ll take a while to get over the emotional aftershocks. Maybe she’ll want to drive around with you until she restores her confidence?</p>

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<p>I am so glad to hear that your daughter was not seriously injured in the accident though I am not sure where I stand theologically speaking. The Irish in me says that it was one of God’s angels that interceded.;-)</p>

<p>Seriously, we all make mistakes driving but our children are so much more susceptible because they are mere novices when they get their licenses and become somewhat proficient only after driving a number of years.</p>

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<p>I just copy and pasted your story into an email for my soon to be 18-year-old D to read. Your description of your D is so similar to my own. I’m so glad that she is physically unharmed and that the driver of the other vehicle was okay, too. Life is precious; I’m glad she was protected from serious harm. Thank you so much for sharing your story, it might be that it saves one of our dear children from a similar accident with a worse outcome.</p>

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<p>Very happy that she is safe.</p>

<p>A suggestion: take her to your family doctor today and have her fully checked out. Don’t just rely on the EMTs or ER people. Treat any symptoms as if they were serious.</p>

<p>As an attorney, I’ve worked on literally hundreds of auto accident cases, and medical malpractice cases. With that severe a collision, there could be bruising issues (heart, head) that will be just fine, but she should be checked for them.</p>

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<p>I am so glad she is OK. What a scare for her. I agree you should get her checked out by the Doc just in case.</p>

<p>She will probably be a bit of a nervy driver for a while and you will be an even more nervy parent. That is to be expected. We were rear ended 10 years ago and my car was crushed up to the back seat where then 8 year old swimcat was sitting. I still cringe when people drive up too close behind me - especially at the junction where it happened which I can’t avoid to get home.</p>

<p>Big hugs to you and your daughter.</p>

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<p>Happy for the relief and joy you are experiencing, salem.</p>

<p>As a very inexperienced 16-year old, I also had an accident in which I was miraculously spared (crossed several freeway lanes but there was no one behind me to crash into me; landed in the median).</p>

<p>A friend’s mother, and my father, made sure that I “got back on the horse” and drove again soon after. May seem like not the most important thing to think about right now, but she doesn’t want to be paralyzed with fear when driving. So I hope she will drive soon and carefully and get her confidence back.</p>