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Rainy 45-50 MPH collision last night

Shots

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@marv1294 I am so sorry it happened to you! I don’t have any advice per se but seeing the airbag deployed and the stuck seat belt like that, it wouldn’t be safe to make a 500 mile trek home in my opinion.
Since several people used that wording, I just want to clarify for those who don't know. The seat belt is not "stuck". It's locked. There are pretensioners in the B-Pillar. Depending on the severity of the crash, they will fire and lock the seat belt in place. This prevents the belt from pulling out further, or retracting back. The purpose is to prevent any play in the belt and hold the occupants in place.
This is actually a good thing to see when first responders arrive on scene. It tells them the person WAS definitely wearing a seat belt.

.... Also, if the other driver is at fault, be sure and file a loss of value claim to the 3rd party (the persons insurance that hit you)....
Someone else mentioned it, but the damage implies the OP is the at fault party. Obviously that can't be determined from these photos alone, but it doesn't look promising.
Good advice for anyone who is the victim of a crash though, so still relevant information.

Just cut the airbag off, and do a little test drive, around the area. If everything handles normally, drive it home. Just be on the lookout for strange noises, or steering issues. . Really people, how did you ever survive, without airbags, back in the days. I remember when we didn't have to use seatbelts, and we got to ride in the bed of trucks.
Well to put it simply they didn't survive. That's way seat belts and airbags were both mandated.
Just because something used to be done one way, doesn't mean it was the best way. Cars are designed much safer now, and as a result there are fewer fatal crashes every year. But you don't have to take my word for it. IIHS, and NHTSA both track it. The following info is directly from IIHS (https://www.iihs.org/iihs/topics/t/general-statistics/fatalityfacts/overview-of-fatality-facts).
Here's a nice easy to read graph:
Fatal facts graph.JPG


And the raw data in an excel spread sheet of the actual numbers for verification.

Fatal facts list.jpg


So, yes, we used to drive around with hard plastic dash boars, that had really sharp corners. We had glass that would break into shards and cut you open instead safety glass that breaks into beads. Cars had solid panes that transferred all the impact to us, but was still drive-able after the crash. We had lap belts only (sometimes not even that), and no air bags. Thankfully the industry realized a lot of people were being killed who shouldn't have been (or in some cases the govt realized it and mandated safety features).
Recommending someone drive from WV, to NJ without safety features is terrible advice. There's been a steady decline in traffic fatalities because all these devices exist.


... In your case my guess would be less then $10k in repairs unless there is a tweak made to the frame that cannot be fixed...
I'm no mechanic, but I'd estimate higher than that. An airbag alone usually runs abut $5K to replace. The seat belt needs replaced, as does a lot of body work, and potential frame damage. I'm not usually one to jump on the "it's totaled" band wagon, but seeing the rear bumper being twisted along with all the other damage isn't a good sign. Or maybe it is, depending on how you look at it.

It's not safe to drive, no further assessment needed. Two of the key safety features are no longer active. Yes, I remember running around the woods, coming home when it got dark, with no way to be contacted. I remember riding in the cargo area of a station wagon, and I remember when a Chevy Nova was "too small" for a family vehicle.
The fear isn't litigation, it's safety. Driving that thing from WV to NJ, would have been a huge, unnecessary risk. I'm glad to see the OP didn't do that. I could see taking the chance if it was a mile from home where you can go extra slow and you could stay vigilant the entire way. But several states away would not have been worth it.
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I understand wanting to get it home. Doing whatever it takes to get home is a common mindset after something like this.

Did you plan when and where you would have this accident? Of course not. That's why you don't ever drive without the safety equipment. Accidents are unpredictable and what you could lose is too valuable to risk.
 

PadreFreddie

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It's a Jeep! They'll buff that out! :)
 

Shots

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Thanks, chocolate chip are my favorite.


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