Last thursday morning I was on my way to school when I was in the merging lane to get onto the highway a nervous lady decided to slam on her brakes to take another look(when nobody was coming), I was looking in the merging lane and as soon as i turned my head i saw red brake lights, I immediately slammed on my brakes but with about a quarter inch of slush on the roads I rear ended her. Immediately she started apologizing saying sorry sorry, a 700$ sorry when it is automatically my fault because I was from behind, my valence cracked, a few fiberglass dings on my right panel, a bent license plate, loose headlight, cracked grille, and a bad headache is all I got, but seeing as though the lady was driving a small nissan coupe I rode on top of the back of her car a little bit so her whole trunk was caved in and her back bumper was snapped in half. Luckily the officer who came to the scene was my friend's dad or my license would be gone as well ( in maine if the first 2 years you get in an accident with your license it gets revoked) So I guess I should be thankful me and the lady are ok and it was just my truck/her car getting banged up. But it will be killer to see how much my insurance goes up... oh boy.. I will post pics tomorrow when it is done snowing of the damage

 

Sorry to hear. Glad everyone is alright. Hope things work out for you. When I was younger and under my parents insurance (whom they had been with for years) I was in a minor fender bender -- not exactly your case -- and the insurance company gave first time forgiveness. In Ohio, when I got my license any tickets or wrecks in the first two years -- assuming a license at 16, so before your 18th birthday -- automatically had to go to court. The judge could be forgiving or not depending on the circumstance. I had just turned 18 and didn't have to go to court. We let the insurance company handle the guy I hit and even though my Escort took a little beating it was 8 years old. My dad and I fixed it the best we could. We bought a new headlight assembly -- little crack in the valence stayed. The bumper was pretty mangled, but withheld from tossing the license plate. You caught a break, maybe you can get another one and learn from this. Not trying to criticise we've all been there. I always look forward -- sometimes to the point of not checking my sides as much as I should.

 

That sucks man, but glad you are ok.

 

yeah that sucks man. atleast your okay, it could have been worse.

 

It happens to the best of us, you're ok so thats all that really matters.

 

Man, that's a trap that everyone falls in. 50 years of driving I can't count the times I have almost ate the *** off a vehicle under the same conditions. Twice I taged them and been taged a few times myself but not on an interstate ramp.

Over the years I've developed a method of watching the car in front right up to the point of merge and as I near the traffic I start watching beside me and in the mirror. With all the indecisive drivers you never know what they will do and you have to leave yourself an escape route and don't tailgate. I have seen drivers accelerate all the way to the end of the merge ramp and then slam on the brakes. That will wad your underwear up for sure.

Go talk to your agent and see what you can do to keep your rate as low as you can. Don't ignore them and don't try to wiggle out of fault and be nice to the lady, see was nice to you.