I was very nearly in a car accident today. not an unusual event as I spend my days at work driving through KC, but this was different.
Was on K40, the backroad from Lawrence to Topeka. Shawnee Heights Road intersection. A 55 mph 2 lane highway t juncture. I was heading west, a nice car with dad and his 2 daughters heading east. Dad slows and almost fully stops to turn on Shawnee Heights Road. The silverado behind him, doing about 65, did not. Guy admitted he'd been on his phone and looked up just in time. I was at the intersection, heading west at 55. Truck guy makes eye contact with me as he starts the dodging swerve into my lane. I was in my 97 Mercury Grand Marquis. At 55, we'd have both died, but I'd have gone through him like tissue paper. Eye contact, he shakes his head and swerves back, striking the car square in the ass.
They go flying, past the intersection, spinning around and into the ditch. Truck guy keeps going forward, but his truck is totaled.
I park, go running down and find the two daughters hurt, but okay. But dad can't move. Car is open enough he could climb out. But he couldn't feel his legs any more.
Cops show up and I go to the top of the hill west (because of course the T junction is in a valley) and start waving down cars to get them to slow down. More and more cops. An ambulance and fire. They pull him out, bundle him off and he's off to the races in the ambulance. Still screaming he can't feel his legs or move them.
I give my statement and leave.
Guy in the truck apparently has no insurance. His ex wife for some reason showed up and began screaming at him and had to be told to leave by state troopers. The two girls are in shock, hurt and scared for their dad.
I gave a statement and left.