This is why you stay off your phone while driving.
Lima, OH resident and Redditor /u/RedFoxHuntress’s got at least a new tailgate in her feature, all thanks to a distracted driver.
/u/RedFoxHuntress took to the /r/IdiotsInCars subreddit and posted dashcam footage of her truck getting rear ended by a woman driver in a White Ford Focus. The video clearly showing the driver looking down at something on her lap before impact.
Check out the incriminating video for yourself below.
[oc] This is why you stay off your phone while driving
byu/RedFoxHuntress inIdiotsInCars
The incident happened on the 1900 block of Ohio State Route 81 near the intersection with Cornell Dr. (Exact location on Google Maps linked here.)
According to OP’s caption, she was slowing to turn into her apartment when this happened.
“Just look at where their eyes are before the passenger notices and yells. I was slowing down to turn into my Apartment Parking Lot, you can see the entrance after they knock me well forward.”
In all likelihood, the driver in the Ford Focus had her mind on autopilot, generally aware of where to stop (red lights, intersections, etc.) but more concerned with what’s happening on her lap (her phone) than actually driving.
It’s why she probably saw the green of the intersection, but couldn’t react to OP slowing before his apartment complex’s parking lot.
As another Redditor points out, on top of all that, she’s not alone, she’s got a passenger, too.
Her recklessness affects more than herself.
The impact looks pretty bad as, this screenshot shows, no airbags went off, and she flies forward hitting her head on the windshield indicating no seatbelt use, too.
Her Focus front end suffered what’s probably thousands in damage if properly repaired ( tweaking the frame back in place and paint matching a whole new hood and bumper.)
Many Redditors pointed out that OP shouldn’t have had her tailgate down.
According to Letti and Co, most US States, Ohio included, don’t have laws specifically prohibiting truck owners from driving with their tailgates down.
“Am I seeing that it almost looks like the driver didn’t have their belt on either? That’s just multiple levels of dumb here,” /u/ShenanigansAllDay commented.
“On your phone with a passenger is one of the worst offenses you can make in a car. Imagine playing with someone else’s life like that,’ /u/maximusdraconius aptly pointed out.
Fortunately, they’ll live to see another day.
But, this could’ve ended up a lot worse given different variables and if she was going a lot faster.
Hopefully, she’s learned her lesson.
But, as one Redditor semi-sarcastically commented,
“She’s probably texting and driving at this very second somewhere.”
