My Mini Cooper Rear-ended by a Volvo
- Rear-ended by a Volvo going fast while I was at stoplight with foot on brake and clutch
I had a post almost ready
for you readers and then the next day my Mini Cooper was rear-ended by a Volvo.
While waiting at a stoplight for the light to change with about 10 cars in front of me and none behind me, the Volvo appeared coming fast. I had looked in the rear view mirror before stepping on the gas to make the discovery of a Volvo coming fast. Then I looked in front of me after she hit my car to see if I’d be hitting anyone in front of my car. The light had just changed and thankfully traffic began to move. When she hit me, my foot came off the clutch and the car engine died. I took another look in the rear view mirror and grabbed my phone to dial 911. They answered and I gave them my information. After that we both pulled over into a store parking lot. I moved first and felt the bumpers pull and scrape apart. Getting out of my car, I saw that she followed in a few minutes dragging something under her car…my spare tire with its attachment from the underside of my car. The Volvo hood was crumpled, headlights smashed, etc. She said her brakes didn’t work.
Volvo Damage..hood crumpled both sides, lights smashed, bumper bent back on side.
Three hours later when the adrenalin had worn off, I was in my doctor’s office with a real ‘pain in the neck’. Yep, pain killers and muscles relaxers for spasms. There you have it…my excuse for not posting before the end of this week. The Mini is sitting in a body shop, the insurance agents have called back and hers admitted to being completely liable for the accident.
She was very apologetic and more than twice. She called later to let us know that her insurance was not expired, but gave us the agent’s name again with another apology. I told her I didn’t hate her…I forgive her and let the insurance companies do their jobs. Things happen!
We were shocked to discover we did not have car rental insurance, but hers will pay for that. Now we’ll be looking over our insurance for both our cars to see what happened to rental insurance. Thank God I had the renewed insurance card in my vehicle because she did not and she was given a ticket for that too. A couple of things you need to check in your insurance:
- Do you have your insurance card in the vehicle?
- Do you have car rental insurance?
- Did you remember to take photos of the accident and vehicle damage? Use your phone camera.
- Get the other party’s insurance name and agent name.
- Did you call your spouse to inform them?
- Call your doctor’s office for an immediate appointment. See them that day if possible…tell them you were in a car accident. I declined the EMT service and took the officer’s advice of seeing my doctor.
- Stay for the tow truck to show up. You need to see the tow truck people pick up your car and get a receipt. Mine had the flat bed tow truck ordered for it by the Mini Roadside Assistance program. They told me to make sure that’s who came out to pick it up. Good thing I knew that as the tow truck driver tried to have us use a dolly tow.
I’m really thankful that nothing horrible happened. Cars can be fixed and I’m looking forward to my neck, shoulder and back healing. I have pictures on my phone, but right now it’s too hard to send them by email to myself and publish them here. Time to go lay down and ice the areas.
Donna
How terrible. Glad that the effects aren’t (hopefully) permanent.
I love minis. That car is completely you.
PV Lundqvist recently posted..Tales From An Indie Author: .99c Books
Good to hear from you, PV! I’m looking forward to a full recovery.
Mini’s are a great car…good ride, mileage and super bumpers!
DonnaPerugini recently posted..My Mini Cooper Rear-ended by a Volvo
Oh my goodness, Donna! I am so glad you are OK. This is something that I often dread whenever I see a car moving up quickly behind me. I am glad that you are OK and that it wasn’t a hit and run situation. I wish you both well through the physical healing and work on the cars!
Thanks, CK.
She was moving fast and there was nothing I could do. I’m glad she didn’t hit and run also.
The accident report showed she had expired insurance, but her agent called and said she’s covered.
DonnaPerugini recently posted..My Mini Cooper Rear-ended by a Volvo
Yes things happen and we must always be ready. Your mini was really tough considering that it was the one bumped. It means that it was the one which became the absorber of the impact. Good thing that you were not badly injured.
Her Volvo bumper ended up under my bumper. The impact of her car must have raised mine up to end up on top of her bumper. I just heard that Volvo builds their cars to crumple so it absorbs the shock instead of the Volvo passenger. Her’s looked pretty bad to me.
Injuries are still being discussed.
DonnaPerugini recently posted..My Mini Cooper Rear-ended by a Volvo
Glad to hear you made it through the accident. Hopefully the pain in the neck will not be long lasting.
We forgive you for missing your weekly post. 🙂
P.S. – I would love to drive a convertible mini for a summer.
Kipp recently posted..Is yours like this?
Hey, Kipp!
I’m counting on the physical therapy to help my neck and back. Thank you for forgiving me for not posting. ;O)
I’d offer to let you drive my Mini, but it’s getting it’s own physical therapy right now. I don’t know how tall you are, but people that are 6’5″ have been able to drive it and sit in the back seat. Of course being that tall in a small back seat makes you want out at the 30 minute mark.
Your girls would love riding in it with the top down. My grandkids like doing ‘the wave’ while riding in it (like the grandstands at a football game.) We also put the top down in the winter, turn up the heater to high and go about one block before putting it up again. Gotta live life to the max!
DonnaPerugini recently posted..My Mini Cooper Rear-ended by a Volvo
Sorry to hear about the accident, but I appreciated the reminders of what to keep in the car, just in case…
Hi, Diony,
I just visited your blog site which is very well done, by the way! Was that you singing in the video about ‘The Father’s Love’? Thank you for stopping by my blog!
The accident is much more involved than we first thought. It may take awhile dealing with insurance agents (even though we opted to go through our own insurance agent). We’re finding out all kinds of new information daily regarding our own insurance coverage. The person who hit me has an insurance company that has accepted full responsibility for the accident. We’re believing it will all work out and I’m looking forward to a complete recovery with no ‘left over injuries’.
Ouch! That’s terrible! I’m glad to hear you are OK, but it that’s nice looking little cooper you have there, stripe and all! Love to see a post about it when it comes back out of the shop ( take a pic, make us feel better…)
Wow, Donna! Glad you are okay, and it seems like the things will be okay with the insurance. Hope you are feeling better soon!
Hi, Becky,
I’m doing what I’m told by the Dr and for physical therapy. You learn a lot ‘after the fact’ with accidents. The insurance said the Dr. had to write on his letterhead, ‘no lifting over 15 pounds and no driving’ and then I could get help for tasks around home. Talk about cramping my style!
Thanks for your thoughts, Becky.
DonnaPerugini recently posted..Make a Puppet with Jim Henson Circa 1969
I’m just now getting back into the swing of visiting all my favorite blogs again! Goodness – I am so thankful that you are ok! Those reminders are fantastic.
Strangely, as safe as Volvos say they are, they don’t seem to fare too well in accidents. Years back, the Hubs was t-boned in a Chrystler New Yorker. The Volvo that hit him wasn’t drivable but his car was fine. We were very thankful though that his car was a boat. If it were any smaller, he would have been seriously injured.
And THIS is why we have steel framed car seats for the kids and keep them rear facing super long! Can’t be too careful! (they are both still backwards at 3yo and 18mo).
Praying for speedy healing!
Audra recently posted..INSANE List – December 2011
Getting better every day! Being rear ended was never on my mind and what a surprise!
The Mini is repaired and my neck, back and shoulder are being worked on a couple of times a week.
It’s a wise parent that makes sure their child is harnessed in a car properly. Good for you, Audra! Did you put a rearview mirror in so the 3 yr. old could talk with your rearview mirror?
DonnaPerugini recently posted..Christmas, Culture and Our Children