I was traveling north bound I-75 today right around 4:15. The weather was pretty nice here today, but by this time we were having them pop up rain "showers". The speed limit is 65 up where I was driving. I noticed it was considerably cloudy and downright dark in the direction I was headed. About two miles up the road I went into a solid wall of heavy rain. It was sudden. I was in the center lane and we all slowed down. About 30 seconds later the rain had completely stopped and all was well. I moved over into the far left hand lane and proceeded to pass several cars. About two miles up the road I could see we was approaching what looked like heavy fog and began to slow. Sure enough once again it was very heavy rain. The road was basically flooded, I looked down and was going right at 45 MPH maybe a little slower. There was no one in front of me, but there was a semi to my right. It is hard to see through the spray that a semi produces let alone a monsoon of rain. I stayed slow and was concerened about the semi and was trying to watch what was goin on. Suddenly in front of me up in the distance was bright red tail lights. It appeared a van was stopped. I hit the brakes to slow, and about a million things went through my mind. When I saw the lights I would guess that the van was about 250-300 feet ahead of me. I was on the brakes and as soon as I realized they were stopped I was cramming on the brakes. I couldnt move over to my right because of the semi and cars behind it. I couldnt go left because of the wall. I had no choice but to stay straight. The Jeep just would not slow fast enough. It was like I was on ice. I locked my leg straight on the brake, locked my arms straight on the steering wheel and prepared for the crash. I hit the back of the van.
I looked around after the crash to prepare for someone to crash into me. No one did. My Jeep was at a 45 degree angle facing the wall. I did not hit the wall. I tried to move the jeep straight in the lane, it would no longer steer. The van moved up a little bit and parked. The whole back tailgate was moved in what appeared several feet. I was scared because the cars was coming up behind me and having to get over to avoid me. This accident happened on a slight curve and the cars was coming around that curve while I was in their lane. I wasn't comfortable sitting there. I really felt in danger. I got out of the Jeep stayed close to the wall and ran up to the van. There were three people in the van all in their 60's. They said they were ok. I stayed between the van and my Jeep up along that wall. I just knew someone was going to hit that Jeep. By the grace of God they didn't.
The Highway Patrol showed up, and did their thing. They took our statements. I don't know what the other party said, I do know that they said it was very heavy rain. I told the officer what I have said here. The woman in the front passenger seat said she fainted so, they called an ambulance for here. Shortly after that the other lady in the back requested an ambulance to be checked out. The officer told me he thought the first lady was ligit, he wasn't sure about the other one. They towed the other vehicle and flat bedded mine. The Wrangler faired much better than the van. There is no doubt the van is totaled. Its a Pontiac Transport probably 2000 model.
My Jeep I am not sure. here is no body damage whatsoever to my jeep. Not even a busted driving light. It has a 3 inch lift so it sits high and has a very heavy steel bumper on the front. No air bag deployment. My front driver side wheel however is pushed back almost to the wheel well, by steering linkage is bent and the idler arm is snapped. The Jeep sits a little crooked if looking at it from the rear.
I was cited for failure for assured clear distance. I don't actually feel comfortable with that. I was at least 250 feet behind that vehicle. I was on the brakes what seemd forever before I hit the van. The road was flooded, the rain was heavy. When I stepped out of my Jeep the water was over my shoes. The officer asked me what I believed caused the accident. I told him weather. It was. My mom was hit on a icy bridge some years ago. She stopped to avoid the wall of the bridge after she lost control of her car. A car came up behind her and couldn't stop and hit her. No one was cited because of weather. I have a problem with being cited for this. I got a ticket. If I go pay it, I just basically admit guilt. Should I go to court over this? I understand I hit them, but what "assured" distance is required??? I was at least 250 feet behind that van.
Another mystery is that there was another vehicle in front of that van. I remembered seeing two sets of tail lights. After the officer an I left the scene and he took me to a place my wife could pick me up he told me that the other driver said there was a vehicle in front of them. They had hit that vehicle, but the damage was so minimal it was only a scratch. The other vehicles driver said he wasn't worried about it and they left. Now my question is. Did the driver I hit, hit that vehicle before I crashed into them. Or did they hit becaused I crashed into them??? I don't know if that will be in the report or not. I questioned the officer on the decision of my citation. He said that it was very rare that you didn't get a ticket for a rear end crash. However mine was still considered failure of assured clear distance. He said however it would be noted very well that weather was the cause...WHAT?????
I looked around after the crash to prepare for someone to crash into me. No one did. My Jeep was at a 45 degree angle facing the wall. I did not hit the wall. I tried to move the jeep straight in the lane, it would no longer steer. The van moved up a little bit and parked. The whole back tailgate was moved in what appeared several feet. I was scared because the cars was coming up behind me and having to get over to avoid me. This accident happened on a slight curve and the cars was coming around that curve while I was in their lane. I wasn't comfortable sitting there. I really felt in danger. I got out of the Jeep stayed close to the wall and ran up to the van. There were three people in the van all in their 60's. They said they were ok. I stayed between the van and my Jeep up along that wall. I just knew someone was going to hit that Jeep. By the grace of God they didn't.
The Highway Patrol showed up, and did their thing. They took our statements. I don't know what the other party said, I do know that they said it was very heavy rain. I told the officer what I have said here. The woman in the front passenger seat said she fainted so, they called an ambulance for here. Shortly after that the other lady in the back requested an ambulance to be checked out. The officer told me he thought the first lady was ligit, he wasn't sure about the other one. They towed the other vehicle and flat bedded mine. The Wrangler faired much better than the van. There is no doubt the van is totaled. Its a Pontiac Transport probably 2000 model.
My Jeep I am not sure. here is no body damage whatsoever to my jeep. Not even a busted driving light. It has a 3 inch lift so it sits high and has a very heavy steel bumper on the front. No air bag deployment. My front driver side wheel however is pushed back almost to the wheel well, by steering linkage is bent and the idler arm is snapped. The Jeep sits a little crooked if looking at it from the rear.
I was cited for failure for assured clear distance. I don't actually feel comfortable with that. I was at least 250 feet behind that vehicle. I was on the brakes what seemd forever before I hit the van. The road was flooded, the rain was heavy. When I stepped out of my Jeep the water was over my shoes. The officer asked me what I believed caused the accident. I told him weather. It was. My mom was hit on a icy bridge some years ago. She stopped to avoid the wall of the bridge after she lost control of her car. A car came up behind her and couldn't stop and hit her. No one was cited because of weather. I have a problem with being cited for this. I got a ticket. If I go pay it, I just basically admit guilt. Should I go to court over this? I understand I hit them, but what "assured" distance is required??? I was at least 250 feet behind that van.
Another mystery is that there was another vehicle in front of that van. I remembered seeing two sets of tail lights. After the officer an I left the scene and he took me to a place my wife could pick me up he told me that the other driver said there was a vehicle in front of them. They had hit that vehicle, but the damage was so minimal it was only a scratch. The other vehicles driver said he wasn't worried about it and they left. Now my question is. Did the driver I hit, hit that vehicle before I crashed into them. Or did they hit becaused I crashed into them??? I don't know if that will be in the report or not. I questioned the officer on the decision of my citation. He said that it was very rare that you didn't get a ticket for a rear end crash. However mine was still considered failure of assured clear distance. He said however it would be noted very well that weather was the cause...WHAT?????
Didn't say it was right or fair or whatever, but that's what I think it's most likely the judge will say, sigh. Go talk to a lawyer.
