Driving 70mph in pitch dark and couldn’t see, am I getting that part right?

[removed]

It was entirely your fault. "Driving too fast for conditions." If you weren't going too fast for the conditions of darkness and snow on the ground, you would have been able to stop in time. If a cop had witnessed it, you could have received a ticket for that quoted reason.

You were driving 10 over the speed limit in less than ideal conditions in the dark and you think that the city is going to fix your car for you?

.... Seriously?

I think that the speed limit is 70 mph for cars and 60 mph for trucks in that section all though it's still quite dumb.

Everybody was going 70mph on a slick rainy pitch-dark road with a blind curve? Each driver has the legal responsibility of driving safely under whatever conditions are present, so I doubt that excuse will fly.

When I was a 15 year old girl, my Dad and I were driving on I-5. He told me to look around at the individual people in all the other vehicles. Then he said, "It's YOUR responsibility that they each get home safely to their loved ones."

It's been decades, and I've never forgotten that lesson. I think of it often.

[deleted]

OP, I urge you to make smarter decisions in life. Driving 70mph on the freeway @4AM in the darkness, when it’s ice out isn’t smart… Do you come across trouble often in other aspects of your life?

Edit: Just read the posts on your profile about your Gambling Addiction… Not to pick at wounds, but you obviously just don’t make smart decisions in life.

If it was on I-5, WSDOT would be the agency from which to seek redress. However, in order for WSDOT to be liable, they would have had to have known about the trees and not taken action. That’s extremely unlikely. The speed limit is a maximum, not a minimum, and we were all taught in driver’s ed to slow down when conditions are dicey. I can think of no more dicey a condition than the one you just described. Frankly, if the state patrol didn’t cite you for exceeding safe speeds or driving too fast for conditions, it was a gift.

I’d take the L and regroup. Insurance exists precisely to support you in the unexpected. Pay for full coverage next time if you can’t afford a loss like this. And slow tf down when conditions are bad.

I’m glad you lived and weren’t seriously injured.

That was an avoidable accident.

You fucked up twice… you CHOSE to drive too fast for the conditions… and you CHOSE to drive without full coverage.

Take it as a lesson learned since there’s nothing else you can do in this case.

About the only occasion you can hit a tree in the road and have somebody to cover your damage beside your own insurance is if the trees fell from private property like a business or home as their insurance will payout just to get rid of you.

The interstate speed limit in urban areas in the state of WA is 60, regardless of vehicle. Pretty sure this exit is right on top of a small town?

Exit 270 is up near Blaine and it’s definitely 70. A small town is not an urban area.

The speed limit doesn't drop everytime there is a town. The SL is 70 mph here.

Take this as an expensive life lesson.

[deleted]

He had adhd, 100 percent

You gambled and lost, accept the L and note the lesson learned 🙏🏽

Addiction had nothing to do with this post. Have some common decency and don’t say anything if you cannot be helpful.

You gotta know when to hold em,

know when to fold em,

know when to walk away

"unavoidable trees". LMAO.

"as it really isn't my fault" double LMAO.
Collision insurance is for when you hit something (or something hits you) that doesn't have it's own coverage, like a tree.

[removed]

There was no driving 70 anywhere yesterday. I drove to Winthrop, there was not any traffic moving above 50. Lots of 30-35. Each pass took an extra hour. Conditions were nasty…I feared for my safety several times

And Christmas spirit is gone. I know everyone is giving you tough love. Hope you get through this OP, I’m sure affording the repairs is beyond your budget and during Christmas. I’m rooting for you to come out on top.

Well people usually go the speed limit out of habit.. Conditions looked like it was getting better since the snow was melted away by the rain.

I don't know why, but I never considered the possibility that something was blocking the road like that. I have driven for 8 years and it is my first accident. I know it is stupid of me looking back, but now I learned to drive more cautiously I guess.

Yea my tow truck guy said I was lucky I didn't get blinded or anything so I will take the L and just get full coverage next time and drive more carefully.

I know to slow down in snowy conditions, but a part of my brain turned off when it's for things like random road debris appearing on the road. I've never had this happen in the 8 years I've driven so it never kind of came to my mind as a hazard, but yes, I've realized now that it's entirely my fault. Thank you.

Yeah well sometimes in life you think something isn't your fault as it's a really unlucky event, but of course, there is always some control I could of had over the situation.

Couple cars behind me also had the same accident, so I wouldn't say that it was entirely just me being an idiot. Things like this are rare and unexpected. You drive on an everyday basis and nearly never see something like this, so I can see why people just autopilot going regular speed and forget about the potential hazard of something blocking them.

Well I've heard people say that everything always happens for a reason... I guess this event made me realize that I need to drive more carefully, especially at night. Car accidents can be deadly, so I will appreciate that I've smartened up now and potentially dodged a tragic future.

There you go. I had a similar accident when I hadn’t been driving very long, definitely a learning experience. Good news is that you weren’t injured.

For lots of people it’s a deer in the road that doesn’t move and then your car ends up in the ditch or the trees. Or a moose if in Canada.

The trees were coming right for him!

Glad to hear it! I think we all have to do our best to help each other stay safe. Happy New Year!