Is This Car Totaled? And How Fast Was the Other Car Going?

[gearFX]

[I apologize in advance if this should have been posted to the "Ask the Agent" forum. I decided to post here instead since this forum seems focused on automotive insurance questions (and is more active too).]

I realize accident reconstruction is usually a law enforcement question, but I'm hoping some of you have experience with claims adjustment or appraisals and can help me out. I have 2 questions:

1. Based on the attached photos, and knowing the indicated traffic pattern and wet conditions, approximately how fast (in MPH) would you estimate the gray Chevy Blazer was traveling when it struck the red Audi wagon?
2. Do you think the red Audi is totaled? It's a 2009 Audi A4 Avant 2.0T with 50,000 miles, and was previously in excellent condition. The car is currently not drivable (engine does not turn on, perhaps due to some kind of safety kill switch).

Thanks in advance for your input!

 

[b61mack]

It seems the red audi is at fault. Audi, looks like it is totalled.

 

[xrac]

I believe it is totaled. The speed I do not know. How long were the skid marks?

 

[gearFX]

It seems the red audi is at fault. Audi, looks like it is totalled.

First of all, thank you for the immediate response! The police initially agrees with your assignment of fault, unless they can show that the gray SUV was speeding at the time. That's why the question of how fast the other car was going is important. The gray SUV was cresting a hill (sloping upward) before entering the intersection (sloping downward) and was not visible to the red car until it crested the hill, but if traveling the posted speed limit of 35 MPH, shouldn't it have been able to stop in time or at least slow down to minimize impact/damage?). The gray SUV did not swerve to avoid collision.

I believe it is totaled. The speed I do not know. How long were the skid marks?

Thank you also for your quick response. As far as I know, the skids marks were not measured. It was raining, so I don't know if that makes this difficult to measure, and that assumes the driver of the gray SUV braked or skidded at all.

 

[Newby]

If that Audi is totaled, there is a lot of good salvage there. I wouldn't think it's totaled but looks can be deceiving.

 

[gearFX]

This is the view approaching the intersection from the gray SUV's perspective.

 

[gearFX]

This is the view approaching the intersection from the red Audi wagon's perspective.

 

[Norwayguy]

I know this doesn't help you but I can see what your saying and it would seem putting in a turning only green arrow light would help safety.

 

[briko3]

I know this doesn't help you but I can see what your saying and it would seem putting in a turning only green arrow light would help safety.

Yeah, it looks like a traffic engineering problem.

As far as fault, I don't see how in those circumstances you can PROVE speed. Audi will be at fault. Probably totalled, but it's right on the line of what they fix now. 2 doors and a body panel.

 

[djs]

If the air bags deployed, the Audi is a potential total. It will take actually looking at the damage to determine beyond the fact that it is a potential total.

Based on the pictures, the impact was probably under 20 miles an hour, but I'm guessing. Of course, the impact doesn't show how fast he was driving prior to the impact.

Skidmarks don't happen so much anymore, antilock brakes don't allow them.

Bottom line, unless the other car ran a red light, the audi failed to yield the right of way and will be at fault. Speed? It would have to be extremely excessive to even be considered in a fault determination. Well, this might be different in different states, since some areas might place a small percentage of fault to a driver who is slightly exceeding the speed limit.

In California, if you turn in front of someone, even if the oncoming traffic is doing 100 MPH in a 35, you are at fault. It is your responsibility to judge oncoming traffic. I know some states vary this slightly, but will none that I know of will change who was at fault based on speed.

Dan