Smashed my front end

So about 2 weeks ago I was driving home on the highway, right after a snow storm. Road was covered in snow and ice. I was going about 40 mph, in the left lane, on a two lane highway. A little two wheel drive sedan entered the highway in the right lane, and basically switched lanes right infront of me going very slow (i'd say around 10-15 mph). I downshifted, and braked as lightly as I could to try to avoid colliding with the vehicle, and in my attempt to slow down, I started to fish-tail, slightly, to the point where my rear end hit a snowbank in the road, and I started to spin out into the center divider. The rear end of my truck took the initial impact on my all pro bumper (there's a picture of it below). After my rear end hit I did a 180 and my front end hit the divider. Luckily, there was no one behind, as they would have plowed right into me. Somehow I regained control of the vehicle, after the two impacts, I pulled over, and quickly inspected the vehicle. I filed a police report and put a claim into my insurance.

http://imgur.com/a/H6Stz#DC4XbYG

Most of the damage was done to the front end. The damage in the rear is a scrape on my bumper, and a couple dings on the body from the bumper. I don't care about the damage to the rear-end.

My insurance sent an adjuster out today, and his estimate was about $2,250. I originally planned on buying an offroad bumper (probably addicted offroad) and doing the work myself, but after speaking with my insurance they are finding me at fault since the other car did not stop. I really don't want a point on my record, so I'm thinking of withdrawing my claim and paying for this out of pocket...

 

Interesting. Were you in 4WD at the time?

I guess you will be looking for a plate bumper now?

 

Yeah I was in 4WD. At first I was interested in a plate, now I'm leaning towards addicted off-roads bumper... I'm just trying to decide if the money my insurance is trying to give me is worth getting a point on my insurance, as my insurance will likely go up, and if I get an additional point after this it will sky rocket...

 

Keep in mind the "wings" on tube bumpers and hybrid bumpers are not triangulated. They provide good clearance off-road, but will bend and damage the body in a collision.

 

I don't plan on getting in any more collisions

But by "wings", you mean the part that sorta wraps around the fender?

 

Yep.

 

I did something similar and I went with something a lot stronger. Here is an image of the bumper I had made. It was a little pricey but well worth it in how strong it is.


Mike Doran
www.dorancreatives.net

 

I like that. Mind me asking how much you spent?

 

I am not sure you can with draw a claim once the insurance co has been aware of an accident.

 

For the hybrid from bruteforce they are gusseted to add strength, but the very last part abouy 5-6" where its bent isnt

 

The "wings" on most plate bumpers are much stronger, as they are effectively 5-sided boxes.

 

Depends on the terms of each individual insurance company. Logically, the rate increase is based on future risk, which is increased after your at-fault accident, and doesn't change whether you file the existing claim or not.

On a different note, I'm speculating in a new 2nd gen Taco, the ABS/EBD/VSC system would have probably been able to keep directional control, but it may have resulted in you colliding into the other car...

 

I pulled my front bumper off, and had the insurance adjuster come back out to take a look. Found a few more items that need to be replaced (passenger fender, fog lights, brackets, grill).

 

I definitely would have quickly caught up to them and either beat their ass or made them stop till the cops came. Prolly both, but then I'd be in jail.

 

If you collided into the slow-moving car and had a dash cam, proving the other driver is at fault would be relatively simple. Otherwise it's a crapshoot.

 

The bumper is $9000.00 painted and $1100.00 powder coated this mounted in place of the stock bumper, this also includes a skid plate.



Mike Doran
D&W Images
www.dorancreatives.net

 

Same thing happened to me a few storms ago on i25 in the metro area. I got hit and it put me into the wall, guy didnt stop I had to pay. They totaled my runner and I bought another one. Hope it all works out for you. Ill be doing addicted bumpers on this 2000 runner I bought. I had an arb on my last and it was the reason it was totaled. And it was low speed into the jersey wall for me no air bag.

 

OP for that price $900.00 or $1100.... You can do a full set of addicted armor
For just under $1400 right now. Front bumper, sliders, and a HC rear bumper.

 

That snow storm the OP speaks of had me thinking of installing a dash cam.

I can't believe

1. How idiotic people become when there is adverse/wintry road conditions. It's as if their brain goes in reverse. The normal person would be hypercautious and aware of his/her surroundings in such conditions, however some actually become much less for some unfathomable reason.

2. The complete lack of respect of others and safety demonstrated.

3. How ill prepared and equipped some vehicles are for such conditions. It should be illegal for cars to be on the road that are RWD, riding on slicks that should have been replaced 5 years ago, have no defrost/heat and 12" of unswept snow covering their car bumper to bumper.

Sorry for the shit you're going through OP... it just made me rant about my experience that shitty morning.

 

^It IS illegal in many northern jurisdictions, but enforcement is lacking.

A dash cam also doubles as a trail cam. The good ones also have accelerometers and GPS, which basically allows you to do instrumented track testing without additional equipment (acceleration, braking, skidpad, etc.).