Over the 2 years I’ve had this blog, I’ve compiled nearly 90,000 miles in two separate vehicles (my Accord and TL). I’ve driven in all kinds of weather conditions, cities, countrysides, twisty back roads and I can’t pinpoint one close call. Over the course of my lifetime, I’ve covered close to 350,000 miles and managed to participate in only one accident. I was 16 then. It was only a matter of time though before I ended up in the wrong place at the wrong time.
That was around 6:30 on December 14th, 2014 where my little Mazda took a blow that it didn’t deserve. And that’s not the worst of it…it was my fault. Yup, the moron is me.
I was in Las Cruces doing random errands, and I made a left turn on a green light feeling sure there was sufficient distance between me and the oncoming motorists. I nearly cleared the intersection and BAM! A silver Saturn VUE clips my right rear at 30MPH and sends me into a nice 360° spin. Weee! I frantically shuffled the wheel in an attempt to keep the 6’s nose from plowing into a nearby electrical box and pole. Luckily, I landed safely in some landscaping just after slamming over the curb. Adrenaline pumping, disoriented and shook up pretty bad, I scrambled my way out of the driver’s seat and ran over to check on Saturn. The driver and intoxicated passengers were all fine. (The driver was sober)
Damage:
Doesn’t look like much, but the right rear wheel and a little of the fender took the hit. From a glance, I know I will have a bent or broken upper control arm at minimum. The wheel was tucked in so far it was rubbing on the strut. Looked cool (slammed status), but wasn’t ideal for going out on the road again. Also, the front end going over the curb probably wasn’t the best treatment either. I’m currently waiting to hear back from my insurance adjuster and see what they tell me the damage is. I’m keeping my fingers crossed she’s not totaled. In the end, they towed the 6 away and all I was able to come home with was a $150 citation for failure to yield. Rightfully so.
No worries. All is well with me and the show isn’t stopping here. I hope my next post will be the start of the 6’s rehabilitation. As updates come, I’ll be sharing. Stay safe out there, friends!
Pawela's Garage 
Dang, this really sucks Jason! Were you able to get any daylight pictures of the damage? It’s tough to tell from these just how extensive the damage is, but based on your description (spinning the car completely around) it must’ve been a pretty hard hit. I’m glad you’re okay and will cross fingers and hope for the best news possible from the insurance company. Keep us posted for sure. You’ll be back on the road and racking up the miles soon enough.
Yep I have daylight pix and I’ll be posting them here soon. The damage really isn’t that bad. I really lucked out on it. I am going to do what I can to ensure I get it back on the road and ready for more action! Thank you for all the support and concerns. 🙂
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