How old were you when you were involved in your first auto accident?

[Like2Plan]

Here is an anonymous poll sparked by another thread..
Link to other thread...

[disneysteve]

Define accident. If I was parallel parking and bumped the car behind me, does that count as an accident? Does it matter if there was damage to the cars? Does it matter if there was another car involved?

I think the accident stats are skewed by what actually gets reported.

Personally, I've never been involved in what I would consider an accident when I was the driver and at fault. I have been rear-ended a few times over the years while stopped at a light, but I wouldn't count those since they were out of my control.

I believe my wife's first real accident was in 2002, so she was almost 39.

ETA: I thought of one I had forgotten. About 11 years ago, I slid on the ice and clipped a mailbox. No damage to the car but the mailbox pole cracked.

[Like2Plan]

Originally Posted by disneysteve

Define accident. If I was parallel parking and bumped the car behind me, does that count as an accident? Does it matter if there was damage to the cars? Does it matter if there was another car involved?

Yes, that would count. If the other car was hit, that would definitely be a miscalculation--(wouldn't really matter if there was damage for the purpose of the poll)

I think the accident stats are skewed by what actually gets reported.

Agreed.

Personally, I've never been involved in what I would consider an accident when I was the driver and at fault. I have been rear-ended a few times over the years while stopped at a light, but I wouldn't count those since they were out of my control.

Hmmm, I wouldn't be inclined to include that, either.

[akrogers]

I was hit head on at 17, but luckily the speed was so slow that the airbags didn't deploy. I was stopped at a red light in the left turn lane and the lady on the intersecting street who had the green arrow left turned right into the front of my car. What a doof. I still get nervous and have to close my eyes at while I'm waiting in the left turn lane because some people cut it so close.

[GREENBACK]

I hit a telephone pole atage 20 that knocked the pole over and put a big v-shaped wedge down the hood. I knocked a couple of teeth out but no(luckily) further injuries. I'd say that qualifies

[disneysteve]

Originally Posted by Like2Plan

Yes, that would count. If the other car was hit, that would definitely be a miscalculation--(wouldn't really matter if there was damage for the purpose of the poll)

In that case, I think you'll find the accident rate is 100% as I doubt you will find anyone who didn't bump a car ahead or behind when learning to parallel park. With that criteria, I was 16 and didn't even have my license yet - just my permit.

Ask folks when their last accident was using the same criteria and most people will probably say they had one within the month. We went out for pizza Saturday night and I scraped the bottom of the license plate on the concrete barrier in the parking lot. I don't count that as an accident (though I certainly didn't do it on purpose ) but if you are going to count anything like that, most of us have accidents on a regular basis.

[Like2Plan]

Originally Posted by disneysteve

In that case, I think you'll find the accident rate is 100% as I doubt you will find anyone who didn't bump a car ahead or behind when learning to parallel park. With that criteria, I was 16 and didn't even have my license yet - just my permit.

Uh--I used safety cones to learn.

[MonkeyMama]

I voted 16 because that is the year I dinged up my car the most. Mostly I was at odds with poles (I had 2 pole incidents in my teens. Minor though).

But yeah, I was thinking more along those lines - kids ding up their cars more as they are learning. Poles, mailboxes, other parked cars, etc.

I really don't know that many people involved in multi car accidents, so I wasn't thinking about that so much. I've been involved in many accidents, my car involved in many more, when my fault factor was an obvious zero. So basically, I have yet to do in another car (knock on wood). & I haven't dinged up my own car in many many years (knock on wood there too!)

All that being said - I think I Was clearly more prone to cause an accident as a new driving teen than I Would be today. Nothing beats practice and experience.

For others, age doesn't matter. When I think to the people who have hit my parked/stopped cars over the years - none of them were particulalry young (or old) drivers. & I seemed to attract the idiot drivers of the world - for sure. My favorite was when I got hit while paying at a parking garage. Hello???

[Inkstain82]

Originally Posted by Like2Plan

Uh--I used safety cones to learn.

I just never bothered. I did it once in practice, once on the driving test, and never again.

My only accident was when I was 24. Cruising with then-fiance back to her house from a slushie run, didn't realize her town had unmarked intersections right in the middle of town and went right through one at the same time another car did.

[DebbieL]

17 - less than a year after getting my license (and yes, it was a real accident). I've never had so many mistakes driving as I did in my first year in all the years since. I am firmly in the camp that the teen years are the most dangerous for driving (and I wasn't showing off or doing stupid stuff that some teens do - I would think it's even worse for one of those).

[disneysteve]

Originally Posted by Like2Plan

Uh--I used safety cones to learn.

Originally Posted by Inkstain82

I just never bothered. I did it once in practice, once on the driving test, and never again.

I practiced with cones, too, but had to do the real thing off the practice course.

Inkstain, I grew up in the city. Parallel parking was a must. It wasn't something you could avoid. What was a challenge was when I lived in my 2nd apartment (partway through med school) and I had to parallel park on my left. That took a little getting used to.

[Inkstain82]

Originally Posted by disneysteve

Inkstain, I grew up in the city. Parallel parking was a must. It wasn't something you could avoid. What was a challenge was when I lived in my 2nd apartment (partway through med school) and I had to parallel park on my left. That took a little getting used to.

Reason number 635 that I have no desire to live in a city.

[davrobins]

at least 25% is made up of peoplewho have never been in an accident

[simpleyme]

my MIL was telling me she had got in a small fender bender took her car to be repaired and got in a accident outside if the autobody shop as she was leaving,so she drove it back in side told them to fix it and called and told her Dh that the car was not ready yet!

this reminded me of DHs grandparents they checked out of the hospital got in an accident in the intersection leaving the hospital an abulance came and took them back to the hospital

[Like2Plan]

Originally Posted by disneysteve

I practiced with cones, too, but had to do the real thing off the practice course.

Inkstain, I grew up in the city. Parallel parking was a must. It wasn't something you could avoid. What was a challenge was when I lived in my 2nd apartment (partway through med school) and I had to parallel park on my left. That took a little getting used to.

When I was learning to drive, not being able to parallel park caused a lot of folks to fail the driving test... Funny thing I don't think they even test for it in the state of VA these days.

[Scanner]

My first reportable accident was about 4 years ago - fender bender. I was 36. Other than that, a couple of dings here and there.

I rear-ended a Hummer with my old beat-up Buick when I wasn't paying attention at an intersection.

Ha, ha. . .when I do it, I know how to do it big. His bumper probably cost more than my whole car.

[kork13]

Originally Posted by disneysteve

In that case, I think you'll find the accident rate is 100% as I doubt you will find anyone who didn't bump a car ahead or behind when learning to parallel park. With that criteria, I was 16 and didn't even have my license yet - just my permit.

haha I think I take the cake on this one... I learned to drive on a manual transmission, and 10 minutes after I got my permit, my father took me to the "practice curb" next to the DMV's parking lot (DMV also uses it for the driving test). First time: perfect -- didn't even touch either of the huge truck tires bolted upright (simulated cars). Second time: messed up the clutch and launched the car onto the curb. It took a tow truck's assistance in order to detach the car's under-carriage from a poorly placed re-bar rod sticking out of the curb.

Sooo.... is 10 minutes post-permit some sort of record?

@ the poll, my response was based on my first real accident though... I was 17 (but it wasn't my fault). Story's on the other thread linked above.

[asmom]

I was 17 when the other driver ran a stop sign and hit me on the side. Luckily no injuries. About 10 years ago, an elderly lady got confused and hit me and my family head on, again no injury. I was in 2 or 3 other minor accidents in between those and since. I've never been at fault, knock wood.

[Seeker]

I'm not really answering the poll -- because I don't remember when (related to my age), but I know there were a few in the beginning years.

Not all accidents are the results of the known driver ("me"), it can be and will, be the cause of another driver at least part of the time.

Dings and scratches (aka "accidents") are a normal part of the learning process. We all learn from mistakes. That's why there's Drivers Ed and Drivers Training classes.

Slipping and sliding during the not-so-often rainstorms and a sudden red light appearing just in front of the newly created stream of water crossing the street in front of the signal? Yes, in spite of my knowing that you turn "into" the slide, I didn't really know what it felt like until it happened and I didn't really see that stretch of water crossing the street in the first place.

Experience plays a major role in whether a person will or will not have an accident. Peers and distractions are often part of the problem as well.

[gamecock43]

I tease my husband that I have never been in an accident since I have had my drivers license.

I was driving home from work one night while I had my DRIVERS PERMIT! and turned left in front of a truck. No one was hurt. My car was totaled. (not my car. my mom's car). My boss was in front of me so she took me home. My mom paid a bunch of lawyers and made it go away. I'm not proud- but true story. Never been in an accident since!