Rav4 saved my wife's life - Automotive Message Forums

ArbitraryNotion

12-11-2004, 11:00 PM

This happened in October of '04.

http://dana.ucc.nau.edu/~jec56/rav4/rav1.jpg

From the look of the damage, she pretty much jumped off the highway at 65-70mph into a ravine(the median between the 2 highways), about a 6-10 foot drop. Landing right on the nose of the vehicle, coming to a rest, shiny side down. If there was a passenger in the vehicle, they would have most likely died. At that speed, I can't belive that she's alive, much less just with one cut up arm. She didn't even get hurt/burned from the airbag. She is 4'11" and 87lbs. She had the seat all the way forward.

There was road construction a few miles ahead. Traffic was stopped and there wasn't any warning that anything was going on. My wife came over the hill and met stopped trafic. Its was the middle of the day and she never even had time to brake.

http://dana.ucc.nau.edu/~jec56/rav4/rav2.jpg

http://dana.ucc.nau.edu/~jec56/rav4/rav3.jpg

http://dana.ucc.nau.edu/~jec56/rav4/rav4.jpg

The bumper was thrown into the cab so that is what that is. You can see that there wasn't much space to be sitting in there.

Here's the "white truck" she hit, an ~88 Toyota 4x4...

http://dana.ucc.nau.edu/~jec56/rav4/truck1.jpg

http://dana.ucc.nau.edu/~jec56/rav4/truck2.jpg

We took the drive where she got in the accident, about 2 miles before the accident occured was a very large dot matrix sign that is used for traffic warnings. That sign was not on when the accident took place. If it was on warning everyone to slow down, which I've seen it used for many times. It is very possible that this accident would have never happened.

I belive that the Rav4 is a very safe vehicle and the fact that my wife WALKED away from the accident is proof itself. We will be buying another Rav4 once the insurance money comes in.

I thank he Lord and Toyota for making such a great, safe vehicle.

Josh