Car crash - car written off. help?

I was driving back home from Surrey to Northumberland last wednesday evening. Its a journey I've done countless times (every 3 weeks or so).

I was on the a1, near to Leeds. The weather conditions weren't great, I was going just under to dead on the speed limit, and I was in the third lane, when a car pulled out of the second lane going WAY slower than me. I couldnt say how much slower but I slammed on my brakes to avoid going into the back of them, it was totally unsafe of them to come into the 3rd lane at that speed. as I braked and because it was wet my car skidded and swerved. I must have hit the rain gulley because I lost control of the car, as it veered into the central reservation and span around twice, hitting both the front and back of the car into the barrier. I just remember thinking I was going to die/tryiing to hold the steering wheel firmly and brake but not so hard that I'd skid further. It was so so scared.

Once the car stopped, I made it across to the hard shoulder when it was safe. I didnt really know if that was the right thing to do but at the time I had no idea where my car really was (it was in the central reservation).

Anywaaaaaay. Long story. Police arrived within 2 minutes. I was 130 miles from home but my insurance company got my home with my battered car on the back of a truck within three hours.

So my Yaris got taken to be assessed, not surprised its being written off. They haven't valued it yet. My first queston is:

What would you say it will get valued at?
Toyota yaris, 2005, 65k miles, 1 previous owner from new, full service history etc, it didn't have a scratch on it before the crash I paid £3500 for it in february..

I only got fully comp. insurance last month (THANK GOD!) which I pay monthly. On reading the small print about claims it say if you make a claim for total loss, the full years insurance will be taken from the total loss payment. so this means my entire years insurance for the yaris (£1000 left to pay) will come off the payment for the car? even though I only got a month's insurance out of it?

And what about the DICK who pulled out in front of me? If there's cameras on that stretch of motorway showing that car pulling out dangerously into the lane causing me to break dangerously surely they have to take some blame?? Why should I lose my lovely car and £1000 etc?

I'm so sad I've only just started paying the bank loan off for this car too. Its going to take me three years. I am gutted.

To Nuffles,
You can use hindsight to say let go of the steering wheel etc because you could hurt yourself, but when you crash your car you panic and look for some sort of security and holding onto something is that. Just like when you fall over you put your hands out.

I always have a "take the ******* down with you" attitude to these kinds of accidents as even if you still get a 50-50 claim, at least you taught the little mong a lesson by taking him out.

To Nuffles,
You can use hindsight to say let go of the steering wheel etc because you could hurt yourself, but when you crash your car you panic and look for some sort of security and holding onto something is that. Just like when you fall over you put your hands out.

Putting your hands out when you fall is logical though, it stops you from breaking your nose / injuring your head.

I always have a "take the ******* down with you" attitude to these kinds of accidents as even if you still get a 50-50 claim, at least you taught the little mong a lesson by taking him out.

To Nuffles,
You can use hindsight to say let go of the steering wheel etc because you could hurt yourself, but when you crash your car you panic and look for some sort of security and holding onto something is that. Just like when you fall over you put your hands out.

I can't tell you how much they'd evaluate it at being worth, but it'll certainly be less than market value. The bit in bold - holding on to the steering wheel is all well and good if you still have some semblance of control. Once you're out of control I'd try to let go of it if you can make yourself do it. When you're doing 70odd mph the impact could quite easily break bones in your hand by ripping the steering wheel around, especially if you're gripping on to it hard. Keeping your foot on the brakes is good though.

Glad to hear you made it out ok, modern cars are pretty good at keeping you safe but motorway crashes can always end badly. I had somebody do exactly the same thing to me while I was driving in the middle lane. I was cruising along at 75odd and some pillock pulled out in front of me from the outside lane at about 65mph giving me almost no room to react. I managed to brake swerve into the fast lane to avoid him but it was close. It was difficult as I checked my mirrors and blind spot to make sure I didn't do exactly the same thing to anyone in the fast lane and it was a pretty close call. I leant on my horn and gave him a bit of the finger for almost causing a big accident.

It's amazing what can happen when people don't use those bits of reflective glass stuck to the sides of their cars. At least you made it out okay. All you lost was a piece of metal and some numbers in your bank account - when you were at the side of the motorway did you stop and realise just how fast those cars are going at 70mph? To come out of it unscathed is always a miracle of engineering imo.

Can't say I've ever been in your situation, but one thing I was told when I started driving was if you have a car written off, never accept your insurance company's first offer for the car. They always offer a really low amount first time in case they have an idiot who blindly accepts it. Hold out until you get a more respectable figure for it. Other than that I can't really help, as I said it's not something I've been involved in.

Best of luck.

i sometimes criticise and make fun of modern day cars for being increasingly fat and heavy as a result of all this safety technologies being equipped, but reading this kind of story reminds me that there is good behind it. thankfully in your highspeed situation you were driving a 2005 yaris, instead of a car like mine (1979 vw golf) o_O

i hope you are alright.

To Nuffles,
You can use hindsight to say let go of the steering wheel etc because you could hurt yourself, but when you crash your car you panic and look for some sort of security and holding onto something is that. Just like when you fall over you put your hands out.

I would give your story to your insurance company, and try and get them to fight it as non-fault. If the 3rd car involved (the one behind you) saw what happened, and backs you up that the person in front was driving dangerously, then you may have a chance of winning, although if nothing else it could go from fault to partial fault.

TBH your going to get royally screwed because of this. No contact with the other car so no proof and he gets off scott free.

if you want justice, often your better off ramming the bastard who pulled out on you. Might hurt but it means you stand a far better chance of getting a better outcome on the insurance etc at a slightly increased risk of injury.

And no i dont mean dont brake, still brake but dont swerve into the central reservation to avoid a collision. For a start, most cars rear crumple zones are softer than crash barriers!!! plus your hitting his crumple zone at a speed difference of 20-40mph rather than a crash barrier at 50- 60mph while out of control.

remember cars are extensively designed and tested for straight and offset frontal impacts into other cars/objects at upto 40mph. Your not likely to have a higher speed differential than that and probably significantly less. Its a far more crash stable scenario than spinning all over the carriageway which has many serious potential outcomes.

I always have a "take the ******* down with you" attitude to these kinds of accidents as even if you still get a 50-50 claim, at least you taught the little mong a lesson by taking him out.

Agreed. In panic situations, logic will usually go out of the window.


You're probably right, but it's difficult to see anybody not trying to avoid a collision, if they can help it. It would be a reaction to try and get out of the way. Unless you've been in the situation before?


I don't have any advice, but it's good to know that you made it out okay, OP.

I feel for you. I really hate idiotic drivers, especially on the motorway.

But you can shatter your wrists. It's not actually logical at all. Much more logical to fall on your forearms not your outstretched hands.


/on topic.


OP - I'm really sorry to hear your story. I'd be absolutely fuming in your situation especially if the other driver gets off scott free. It's a long shot but did you happen to get the number plate or theo make/model of the car?

I was driving back home from Surrey to Northumberland last wednesday evening. Its a journey I've done countless times (every 3 weeks or so).

I was on the a1, near to Leeds. The weather conditions weren't great, I was going just under to dead on the speed limit, and I was in the third lane, when a car pulled out of the second lane going WAY slower than me. I couldnt say how much slower but I slammed on my brakes to avoid going into the back of them, it was totally unsafe of them to come into the 3rd lane at that speed. as I braked and because it was wet my car skidded and swerved. I must have hit the rain gulley because I lost control of the car, as it veered into the central reservation and span around twice, hitting both the front and back of the car into the barrier. I just remember thinking I was going to die/tryiing to hold the steering wheel firmly and brake but not so hard that I'd skid further. It was so so scared.

Once the car stopped, I made it across to the hard shoulder when it was safe. I didnt really know if that was the right thing to do but at the time I had no idea where my car really was (it was in the central reservation).

Anywaaaaaay. Long story. Police arrived within 2 minutes. I was 130 miles from home but my insurance company got my home with my battered car on the back of a truck within three hours.

So my Yaris got taken to be assessed, not surprised its being written off. They haven't valued it yet. My first queston is:

What would you say it will get valued at?
Toyota yaris, 2005, 65k miles, 1 previous owner from new, full service history etc, it didn't have a scratch on it before the crash I paid £3500 for it in february..

I only got fully comp. insurance last month (THANK GOD!) which I pay monthly. On reading the small print about claims it say if you make a claim for total loss, the full years insurance will be taken from the total loss payment. so this means my entire years insurance for the yaris (£1000 left to pay) will come off the payment for the car? even though I only got a month's insurance out of it?

And what about the DICK who pulled out in front of me? If there's cameras on that stretch of motorway showing that car pulling out dangerously into the lane causing me to break dangerously surely they have to take some blame?? Why should I lose my lovely car and £1000 etc?

I'm so sad I've only just started paying the bank loan off for this car too. Its going to take me three years. I am gutted.

I always have a "take the ******* down with you" attitude to these kinds of accidents as even if you still get a 50-50 claim, at least you taught the little mong a lesson by taking him out.

Jesus christ, how the hell did you get a positive rep for this post?

Ring up your local police station to pursue any cameras in the area,

Don't accept the first valuation. I would hazard a guess at 2500 as an amount you might get after haggling

Good luck

Yes 99% of the time it's people being twazzocks but rarely it could be something they have no control over and going all gung ho and ramming them can make it worse.

Jesus christ, how the hell did you get a positive rep for this post?