Just thought it'd be a neat subject . The most I've witnessed is a minor bump and a 180 on the freeway.

Not witnessed, no. But I've been in one.

I was about to say, does being in one count?

Of course it does!! Everyone must have seen a car accident at some point, even if all they see are the smashed-up cars on the side of the road.

Well, the question was rather about seeing the accident happen I guess, which is much less common than seeing smashed cars on the side of road.
The only one that I really remember is a recent one where I saw a car on a crossroad (junction) hitting at a relatively high speed (i.e. for a city street) another car that was waiting to turn. There were no people hurt luckily, but as the other car was not moving I wonder why the first car did not avoid it...

I have seen 4 crashes as they happened and many after the fact. I also have been involved in 3, not my fault.

An accident is something unforseen and generally unavoidable so I don't call car wrecks accidents since there is nothing accidental about most of them. Most of them should be called "stupids" as in: I ran a red light and had a stupid.

The problem is most drivers (and I'll include myself among them) don't know how to react quick enough when a sudden crash situation arises (but then I suppose you need to be able to forsee accidents), so they aren't capable enough to avoid them, most people just panic and slam on the brakes (which isn't good when the car doesn't have ABS). Maybe it's just a matter a reflexes but nobody is ever taught what to do when they are learning to drive (learner drivers aren't taught advanced driving skills, only the basics of driving). Maybe everyone should be sent to do some stock car racing or something.

I agree that you sometimes can't avoid having a wreck regardless of reflexes, defensive driving, driving skill, etc.

If you have a wreck while speeding, running a red light, driving drunk, talking on the phone, putting on makeup, reading the paper, tailgating, eating, not paying attention, etc, etc, I don't think its an accident - its a stupid. I have seen all of these things being done in heavy traffic.

I don't think driver training will help because you just can't cure stupidity.
Its a damn wonder we don't kill more people than we do.

A cause of accidents is sometimes... watching another accident
It is really annoying when the people in front of you slows down just to watch what happened, rather than watching what is in front of his car (e.g. if the one that he follows slows a little more to watch a little more... you get anoter accident)

You are right antp and its one of my biggest hates. We call it rubber-necking because it looks like their head is mounted on a rubber band as they try to both drive and watch

Sure, but I don't think everyone will want to share their stories on being in one (if it was their fault anyway ). You can if you like.

I have been in 3 accidents and I was a passenger in each. One strange accident I was in involve was a bumper to bumper with two 2nd gen Ford Tauruses (my friend's parents). I also remember that when the airbag poped out in a different accident some powder like smoke came out and it smelled horrible.

I have never witnessed an car crash actually happening, but I have been in one (not my fault) I have also been in two "fender-benders" (also not my fault, thank God, knock on wood) I am very dedicated to wearing my seatbelt, as well as making my kids wear theirs. Though the second row separate Captains Chairs did pose a problem for me when I got my new vehicle, as my kids would unbuckle their seatbelts and walk from the second row seats to the third row seats. Of course some discipline was in order, so now they don’t play "musical chairs" while I’m driving down the road.

That'd be very dangerous. I'm just glad that you keep them safe while driving.

I've been in three car accidents, two of them while I was driving. First one was in my mom's Ford Tempo. She fell asleep and went off the road and flipped the car. That was scary when you're only 7 y/o.

Second accident, I had just had my Sable for one week. I stopped to let a kid cross the street when some kids in a Lumina rear ended me. I was pissed.

Third one, I was driving the Windstar down the highway with my family and some chick in an Escort pulls out in front of me. I swerve to the right to avoid hitting her and hit the soft sand on the shoulder. Ran right into a chain link fence. Highway Patrol showed up and took care of everything.

I heard on the news years ago someone feel asleep while driving and he nearly bit his tounge off while driving.

That driver in the Escort didn't get away did she?

I crashed my mom's Buick Century when I was 2 years old . Not much damage to the car, and it was in our driveway, but it was scary for my mom. Please don't ask for further details

I'm sorry if that smiley was offensive. Just not a story you here everyday, but I won't ask for more details.

Hahaha. I guess it is something you don't hear about everyday. The point is, I was in the backseat while my mom went to open up the gate to the driveway. While she was doing that, I moved to the front seat, shifted into drive, and hit the pedal. I have no clear recollection of the event so don't ask why, how or anything like that. I wasn't a troublemaker as a little kid either, but I guess I wanted to drive like "mommy"

Well at lease you learned how to drive before the other pre-schoolers

I've done both... on numerous occasions.