I'm busted?

Question

so my mom recently got a new car ....the mercedes s600....and i had no car to pick up my friend...so my dear mother trusted me w/ her heart to drive slowly...and i did..of course she was w/ me the whole time....so last sunday....there was heavy traffic....and i got rear-ended SO BADLY that the airbag popped out....BUT here's the bad news...when the car bumped ours....i collided w/ the car in front of us too....and now i'm REALLY busted....my mom won't ever let me drive again!! in fact, she's taken away my car for three months...i've done everything to ask for her forgiveness..and my dad's on her side....is there anything i can do? ...thanks.oh yeah, adding to that fact, the insurance shot up

Answer 1

You were following the car in front of you too closely. If I were driving an expensive Mercedes, I certainly wouldn't increase my risk of an accident by tailgating. You may not have been able to prevent getting rear-ended, but you absolutely could have prevented your rear-ending of the car in front of you.

Answer 2

Just let them cool down and they might change their minds don't push and the will realize it was just an accident. And just thank goodness you or anyone else wasn't hurt.

Answer 3

G'day!

You are the meat in the sandwich in a chain collision?  The insurance company for the car that ran into the back of you, they are the ones that should be picking up the pieces, not your insurance company.  

I would go to your parents, and ask the question of them, 'How can I avoid a situation like this again?'  Examine stopping distances, speed at the time of the accident, what speed were you doing when you got hit from behind, how far were you from the back of the vehicle in front prior to getting shunted.  How fast was the car behind going when it hit your car?  Ask your parents for imput and suggestions.  Do not bring anger into the discussion.  You want to regain the privelege of driving.  Ask what they would have done differently.  If they say that there was not a lot else that you could have done differently, ask the question why have I been grounded then?  If I have done everything right, why have I been grounded?  

As you have not included details of the accident, I can not pass constructive comment on a couple of things.  However, bear in mind if that you are stationary, and you get shunted, the force of the impact will move you forward, no matter what brakes or other things you have applied.  If you get hit by a 1 ton car at 20 m.p.h., that is the equal of getting hit by a 2 ton car at 10 m.p.h.  As the speed increases the force multiplies.  

As for your insurance company increasing the premium... did any of you mention that there was a new driver in the car, who has not had much experience?  They may be charging you for that now.  If you have, I would be going back to the insurance company and demanding a lower rate, as the accident was caused by a third party, and they should be claiming the money from the third party, not your premiums.  

BTW...  when you are standing in traffic, use your handbrake.  If you rest your foot on the brake pedal, when you get hit from behind, the force of the push is the same as removing your foot from the brake pedal.  The car (and the brake pedal move forward) and the pressure on the pedal is relaxed for a moment, but by the time that you get your foot back on the brake, you are into the vehicle in front.  I try to allow 6 foot (1.8 metres) as a buffer zone should someone forget to stop and run into the back of me.  

As a precaution, when you are stationary at anytime, apply your handbrake, and keep your foot firmly on the brake pedal until the car behind you has come to a stop.  By keeping your foot on the brake pedal, your brakelights are working, advising the vehicle behind that you are either slowing or stopped.  I know that this advice is too late for this incident you have just had, but, I hope that it may save you from a future mishap.

I do wish you many miles of safe and happy motoring.

Ding.

Answer 4

This whole conversation is stupid!!

From what you said. You were stopped and got hit from the rear and driven into another car.

Not sure where you live, but in my area, the guy or girl in the car that started the chain reaction is at fault and would be ticketed and liable for damage to your and the other car you hit PERIOD!

I do not know why your insurance is even involved unless the clown who hit you had no insurance, which in most areas is illegal. Tell your parents to find another insurance company.

While I am not into rediculous lawsuits, I would talk to an attorney.

I am a parent of two boys and would not, just based on your story, blame them for this.

Good Luck

PS I am on your side and I HATE foreign cars!!

Answer 5

it's just three months - not forever. I know it seems like a long time right now, but you'll make it.

Answer 6

Be happy you arent my daughter. The fact is, it wasnt your fault, however, you must have been too close to the driver in front of you if you collided after being rear ended. My kids had to sign a contract with me for their license - they have to pay for any damage, as well as any insurance hikes, as well as lose driving for 6 months if they are in an accident - unless they are not at fault......and they dont hit anyone!

Answer 7

So you bumped the car in front of you because of the one that hit you from the back? I can't see that *you* did anything wrong here...

I guess that your mum is simply afraid that you could get hurt in an accident...

Answer 8

Who said it was your fault? here it would of been the driver at the start of the chain reaction.NOT you!!