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Original poster

Car Claims Handlers - Motorway accident?

56 replies

NioNioNio · 04/06/2023 22:26

Accident yesterday, thankfully I am fine. Was in second lane of three lane motor way on a straight section 70mph. Then suddenly knew car had been hit and then glanced to see lorry grill on passenger window... maintained control of steering wheel ( not completely sure what I did but I think I rocked it left and back to middle when there was resistance)..Car came to a rest thankfully after 3 or so seconds. It was straight section on second lane but I ended up perfectly facing the hard shoulder on the hard shoulder with my mid section at the halfway point of his grill ! ie my boot and front end had roughly same distance sticking out on both sides. Lorry driver said he was in first lane...impact mainly square on the passenger rear door and passenger rear wheel. Tyres for both vehicles appear ok so no blow outs for either. I was not attempting to change lanes simply driving straight on motorway.

Any ideas what could have happened for near-sided lane truck and middle lane car to end up on hard shoulder?

If I drifted into near side lane would the physics mean the above?

If lorry drifted into middle lane would we be no where near the hard shoulder?

I am truly baffled though thankful as at 60 it is my major first car accident ever...

OP posts:
Blanketpolicy · 04/06/2023 22:41

Sounds scary, glad everyone was ok.

Had you just overtaken the lorry, were you aware of where he was before the accident or just driving straight unaware of your surroundings? A lot of lorry drivers have dashcam now, which might clarify what happened. Did the police attend?

Original poster
NioNioNio · 04/06/2023 22:46

So I would have to say I was driving straight and at that point in time did not notice said lorry in near side lane.

Motorway police attended to stop traffic as I would have to reverse into oncoming traffic. I asked the question to police about insurance and they said it was up to us to sort out.

No other witnesses unfortunately...truck would have cams? Motorway cameras?

OP posts:
Ineedsleepandcoffee · 04/06/2023 23:00

What did the lorry driver say happened? It's a bit concerning that you don't seem to have been aware of what was on your inside.

Blackoutbeans · 04/06/2023 23:07

Sounds like the lorry decided to change lanes and move into the middle lane when it hit you. Was it by any chance a foreign lorry?

LittleBlueBrioTrain · 04/06/2023 23:08

If you were in Lane 2 then you must have just overtaken the lorry, but you don't recall it being there? So you often sit in the middlecpane on autopilot or could you have had a medical episode? When it comes to the insurance, you cant do a best guess. If no medical episode, it seems that you weren't paying attention?

Original poster
NioNioNio · 04/06/2023 23:08

He said he didn't see anything either...he just heard a noise and slammed the brakes...didn't say he was trying to change lanes. He said he thought he had a blow out...

OP posts:
LittleBlueBrioTrain · 04/06/2023 23:09

Sorry that should say...

Do you often sit in the middle lane on autopilot

LittleBlueBrioTrain · 04/06/2023 23:13

NioNioNio · 04/06/2023 23:08

He said he didn't see anything either...he just heard a noise and slammed the brakes...didn't say he was trying to change lanes. He said he thought he had a blow out...

He wouldn't have seen you there, lorries have huge blind spots which you need to be aware of as a motorist and not hang around there. if you were genuinely doing 60mph, you may have been lingering in a blindspot given the max speed of a HGV

Car Claims Handlers - Motorway accident?
WiddlinDiddlin · 04/06/2023 23:14

How are you sitting in the middle lane for a long time and yet unaware of what is to your left?

That lane is for overtaking, thus you should be aware of what you are overtaking.

This does sound like you were middle lane hogging and daydreaming a bit, autopiloting and drifted or, failed to notice you were sat in a trucks blindspot as he indicated to move out (though as you say... that would probably not put you where you ended up).

Deathbyfluffy · 04/06/2023 23:17

You either had a medical episode, or you completely zoned out.
If you had no idea what was going on you probably shouldn’t have been driving - you’re either ill or tired.
When at the wheel of a 2 tonne machine on a road with other machines weighing 44 tonnes you really need to know who is doing what, which lane they’re in and where they’re going.

coffeecupsandwaxmelts · 04/06/2023 23:17

How can you not have noticed a huge HGV on your left? 😬

Elevel · 04/06/2023 23:20

Going on what is very often the case, I would guess you've drifted. As I say it's a generalisation, bur most HGV drivers are much more aware of what's going on around them, as a lot of car drivers don't understand how much space is needed to overtake a lorry, where their blind spots are, etc. Plus, as you've said, a lot of car drivers zone out and don't pay as much attention as they really should.

However, a lorry without cameras these days is extremely rare, so you will most likely get your answer from the footage.

Original poster
NioNioNio · 04/06/2023 23:21

It was a really busy three lane motor

OP posts:
Original poster
NioNioNio · 04/06/2023 23:23

UK based driver @Blackoutbeans

OP posts:
Wildlyboring · 04/06/2023 23:24

Oh gosh OP no idea what may have happened but so thankful you're all okay 💐

Blanketpolicy · 04/06/2023 23:29

LittleBlueBrioTrain · 04/06/2023 23:13

He wouldn't have seen you there, lorries have huge blind spots which you need to be aware of as a motorist and not hang around there. if you were genuinely doing 60mph, you may have been lingering in a blindspot given the max speed of a HGV

Show quote history

if you were genuinely doing 60mph

I think the op was saying at age 60 not 60mph.

Blanketpolicy · 04/06/2023 23:35

If the HGV was still in its lane it does sound most likey you drifted into the 1st lane from the lorry drivers blind spot which is why he didnt notice you.

You need to try really hard to think back to it actually happening and be honest with yourself if you were simply not paying attention to your surroundings on a regular boring commute and will learn from it, or if you possibly had a medical episode that needs to be investigated before you drive again.

FeigningConcern · 04/06/2023 23:48

It's hard to work out exactly what you mean in terms of how you ended up but it sounds like the lorry hit your rear end (as most of the damage is to your read end passenger side) and then your car rotated so that it ended up at a 90 degree angle to the front of the lorry? And from there in a high speed collision, it probably doesn't take much for you both to be moved across to the hard shoulder. It sounds as if the momentum may have been taking you in that direction - if the lorry drifted slightly right but was mainly heading forwards then tapped the back of your car, which then spun to the left on contact, I still think this could possibly take you both off to the left even given the additional weight of the lorry. Was your car "attached" to the lorry by the grill?

That can only have happened by either you or the lorry moving lanes and not seeing the other vehicle, or drifting from lane from lack of attention or falling asleep at the wheel. I do wonder about the latter and the lorry driver as I am surprised he said he also didn't see anything - your car was presumably slightly ahead of his vehicle if he hit the back of your car?

As others have said, the lorry should have cameras which will shed light on what happened.

Sounds v scary. A lucky escape to have a run in with an lorry and escape unscathed! A miracle that everyone is OK if this happened on a busy motorway!

LittleBlueBrioTrain · 04/06/2023 23:55

I guess if it was 3 seconds, the answer as to whether the lorry drifted lies with where was he when he stopped? Entirely in lane 1, or partly or entirely in lane 2?

Original poster
NioNioNio · 05/06/2023 00:02

@LittleBlueBrioTrain

We ended up on the hard shoulder when vehicles stopped

OP posts:
Original poster
NioNioNio · 05/06/2023 00:15

@FeigningConcern Hi you have described it well in terms of what happened.

Yes the car was attached to the grill when both vehicles came to a rest...no daylight between my passenger side and lorry grill.

Truth be told I was focused on ahead as it was so busy there was no space to overtake though from the car damage have to assume I was ahead at point of impact.

Will be interesting to see lorry dash cam

OP posts:
Original poster
NioNioNio · 05/06/2023 09:02

A new day, any other views?

OP posts:
GoodChat · 05/06/2023 09:14

Where's the damage on both vehicles?

I can't quite gauge what happened with the collision but from what I understand of the collision, one of you must have lost concentration and side swiped the other - is that likely based on the damage?

eurochick · 05/06/2023 09:27

It sounds like either you drifted into the lorry's lane or the lorry drifted into your lane. Then the lorry clipped the back half of your car pushing it to the right so the front end rotated to the left ending up in front of the grill. Very scary. I'm glad you are ok.

LittleFreakJezebel · 05/06/2023 09:29

I agree it sounds like one of you has drifted and clipped the other, ending up on the hard shoulder could be explained by the lorry driver swerving left when he heard the noise.

Glad you are ok and hopefully he has dash cam which can settle it.