Adam was heading north on a main road, happily minding his own business and listening to the latest Top 40 tunes on the radio. Bill was driving west along a secondary road that intersected the main road, and he pulled up to a stop sign, intending to turn left (south) onto the main road. He looked both ways; it looked clear. He signalled. He pulled across the northbound lane, and was about to turn into the southbound lane when Adam's car appeared out of nowhere and, in spite of slamming on the brakes, Adam clipped the rear quarter panel of Bill's car. CRUNCH! Everyone was okay but here's the REAL story behind the collision:
- Adam was traveling slightly above the speed limit. Had he been traveling at the speed limit, he would have dramatically reduced the stopping distance required in an emergency braking situation.
- Bill pulled up to the stop sign and looked both ways. He glanced left then right, and then he pulled out. But the slightest bend and dip in the road kept Adam's car from being seen. Had Bill looked slightly more carefully for a moment longer, he would have seen Adam's car.
- Adam was driving carefully but his gaze drifted to the radio for just a moment as he turned up his favorite song. It was just a second, but it was just enough not to notice Bill's car edging out from the stop sign.
- Adam saw Bill at the last moment and slammed on the brakes. He had ABS but his brakes weren't the newest, and neither were his tires. And the road had a little bit of gravel on it. If Adam's brakes were slightly better, and if his tires had just a little more grip, and if the road didn't have gravel on it, Adam might have been able to stop.
Fortunately, the two drivers saw each other at the last minute so Bill accelerated slightly to get out of the way and Adam mashed the brakes and steered defensively to get out of the way… and the result of the collision was not as bad as it could have been.
Here's why this story matters to you: As drivers, we may feel that we are good and careful drivers, and it's easy to think that collisions happen to other people who are not careful drivers. But the story of Adam and Bill is not that uncommon – here were two regular, safe drivers. A combination of several factors come together to create a collision and it can happen to anyone. All it takes is just a few different elements that you can't always prepare for.
If you get into a collision, bring your car to Boyd Autobody to be repaired. We know what it's like to go through the stress of a collision and we'll make things easier on you to get your car back on the road quickly and safely.
