Wear your seatbelts!!!

[Camaro_94]

I was going down to the adirondacks yesterday morning to spend the weekend down there. We took route 104 (a road that kinda follows lake ontairo) instead of taking the highway. Its about a 110 mile trip to my friends cottage... We made it about half way there.

We just got done looking at a boat on the side of the road. It was a old 1960 wooden boat that was for sale. My friend has been looking for one for a long time but this one was way too expensive for its condition. We get back into his truck (99 Dodge Ram 1500) and continue on our way. I had my seatbelt on previous to that, reached back to grab something in the back seat, then I look back, and see a truck (06 chevy silverado) cross right in front of us. We hit them in them directly in the door at about 40-45 mph. Since I was not wearing a seatbelt, I went forward and I cracked the windshied with my head and I guess put a small hole in it. My friends dog who was sitting in the back seat went forward into the dashboard and onto my lap after that. I asked my friend if he was alright, and he said "Yeah, I'm good", then I asked if I was bleeding anywhere. I looked forward, not even realizing my head went through the windshield, felt my head, and there was blood pouring out from my forhead and nose. He said "youre bleeding real bad". I tried to get the passenger door open but it was stuck on the fender since it was pushed back. I kicked it two times and was able to get it freed. Two EMT's were at the scene since the other driver was pulling into a somewhat busy grocery store near Oswego. I fell down after I got out of the truck and 2 people came over with towels and put pressure on my forhead where I was bleeding. I knew I was losing a lot of blood... They kept filling up the towels with blood.. The ambulance comes shorty after and they went through a series of questions, checked over my condition, then loaded me into the ambulance. I was still kinda out of it. I was responsive but slow. One of the EMT's on the ambulance said "Have you ever gone on a helicopter before". I said "No?", and then he said "Well were going to have to fly you to Syracuse to their hospital". Now I'm kinda newvous. At first I was told I was going to the hospital in Oswego, so I didnt think it was that bad, but now i'm being flown in a helicopter (mercy flight) to syracuse. The EMT's kept asking "Were you the one on the bike" and I kept on asking "What bike? There was a bike involved too? I was the passenger in the truck! 2 trucks collided!"

We finally arrive at the location where the helicopter was waiting. It was at a local k-mart. I couldnt see anything since I was tied on a stretcher and I was in a neck brace. As soon as I get into the helicopter, the person in the back riding with me said "You were the person on the bike?".. I kept saying that I was the passenger in the truck and as fas as I knew, there was no bike involved. Meanwhile, I was still bleeding pretty bad from my forhead and it was dripping into my eye so I couldnt see. About 10 minutes later we get to University Hospital in Syracuse, where I was then swarmed by 10 people in a room, and was really starting to get nervous.. I knew my nose was broken, my neck, shoulder and elbow were hurting pretty badly too. They check me out over there, run a whole bunch of tests, then send me to the MRI room thing, then from there I go get x-rays done. My head was wrapped up at this point and they managed to stop the bleeding. they then send me to a room where I spent the remainder of the day in.

My friend who was the driver of the truck came down to the hospital shortly after. He hurt his knee, but wasnt too concerned about it. He just wanted to get it checked out. He then told me that there were 3 other people in the other truck. We hit them directly in the passengers side door, and I thought there would have had to been some serious injuries then. I asked if they were alright, and he said "Yeah, all of them walked out of the truck just fine. The driver was a 91 year old man". I couldnt believe it. I looked at the passengers side door after the accident when I was sitting down and thought if they had a passenger in that truck then there is no way they are coming out uninjured. They even managed to open the door and get out.

They stitched me up after that and said I'm probibly going to have some scars there. I was released later that night, but I am going back to a bone and joint specialist because my shoulder and elbow are still bothering me.

The driver of the truck I was in was wearing a seatbelt. I wasnt. He walked away from it almost unharmed, I didnt. If thats not a wakeup call.. Then I dont know what is. Remember everyone.. Wear your seatbelts. I feel very lucky to still be sitting here and am suprised I am able to be at home right now writing this. This accident could have been and should have been much worse. I dont know how everyone managed to walk away from this. Even my buddies dog, he got right up and walked around right after this and wanted to play with all the people there. I might post some pictures up later.. I lost my phone somewhere during the accident too.

WEAR YOUR SEATBELTS!!!

[Camaro_94]

I found this kinda funny too...

http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.s...in_oswego.html

Apparently I was a motorcycler to everyone. They reported the call wrong.

[Tarheel'Z']

wow,,now thats a memorial day weekend to remember..im reading your story and im thinking oh crap when is he gonna say they found the motorcyclist under one of the trucks...sounds like you got the worst of it but guess it coulda been much worse.hope you make a quick recovery

[bricez28]

dude that sucks. I'm writing this on my iPhone right now in the mall while my gf tries on clothing. But I know when I get back in the car I'm getting my seatbelt in. I'm happy your ok.

[K-Dawg]

Wow!! Glad to hear everyone is okay. I'm a firm believer in seatbelts. They save more lives than they take.

On another note, I think there should be an age where people have to start retaking a driving test.

[warnerTA]

wow. i never ever wear my seatbelt.. i am going to start tho.... get well soon man!

[AChotrod]

Glad your ok!! The media is so stupid. LOL! There wasnt even a bike in the accident.

[tomsws6]

head injurys suck! theres so many capillaries and viens ect. up there that a small cut looks like you cut ur head off! glad you were ok. could of been a hell of alot worse!

[Camaro_94]

Thanks everyone!

Yeah.. They were confusing the hell out of me the whole time too. They kept asking me "Do you know where you are?" and I was saying "I'm from Rochester.... I have no clue where I am right now. I'm in a parking lot by 104!".

I just found out I have a small fracture in my hip too.

I'm going to be posting some pictures up shortly of the cuts on the top of my head. I just talked to my friend earlier today that was driving the truck I was in and hes going to be taking some pictures of his truck tommrow so I'm going to get them from him too.

[Camaro_94]