One time many years ago I was on my way home from morning work at the track. I rear ended an 80 year old preacher and his wife on their way home from church.
There had been a wreck on the interstate so traffic was diverted on the road I took home everyday. We were crawling along at about 20 mph or so. I decided to look over at an abandoned trailer to see what was in it since we were going so slow. When I turned my attention back to the road it was too late. I slammed the brake at the exact time that I slammed into his bumper!
It barely smudged the paint of his large sedan but my mazda was crunched. The hood was buckled and so were the front fenders. The policeman who responded wanted to call a tow truck but I talked him into letting me drive the mile or so to my house. (I could barely see over the crumpled hood.) The damage was extensive enough that it almost totaled my car.
I immediately got out of my car when I hit them and I ran to see if they were all right. They insisted they were. When I saw how old they were I tried to get them to go to the emergency room anyway but they wouldn't do it. By the way I took immediate responsibility for the wreck as well. I don't believe in allowing my insurance company any room to wiggle out of paying for a wreck - that's what I pay them for! I tried to get them to pull to the side of the road so traffic could pass but they refused which is their right.
The person behind me ran up and started yelling that it was my fault that he saw the whole thing. I told him to calm down that I had already admitted fault. He left his name and number with the preacher. When the policeman asked if there were any witnesses when he arrived the preacher actually told him no. I had to prompt him to give the policeman the man's name.
Anyway everything turned out well as far as I know. The insurance paid for his car and mine with no major drama.
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