Does anyone have any links to information regarding the rear crumple zone rating for a 2012? I had the cruise set at 70 the night before last when a drunk driver impacted the back of my Prius. I am wondering how fast the other driver was going. At the moment of the impact the car completely shut down, all power was lost but it remained in drive and I was able to steer off the road. The rear crumple zone was pushed up to the rear wheels.
My guess at least between 15 to 20 mph faster than you were going. You said you were going 70, I'd say he hit you at 85 to 90 mph. Five to ten mph faster the back end would have looked like the left side but after seeing the right side damage add in another five to ten mph. Man were you lucky, I'm glad you didn't lose control at that speed after the impact, it could have been much much worse like dirt nap worse. Being you already had forward momentum it made the impact far less damaging than it would have been had someone hit you at 15-20 mph while being stopped.
When he hit me the force of my body going back bent the frame of the drivers side seat. I just got back from a Toyota Collision shop and the guy that looked at it estimated he was going in excess of 110 mph.
I would think the body shop is closer to right on the speed, that is 40mph difference. I'm not smart enough to know if you already rolling would be different than a 40mph hit if you're setting still.
The other car likely had a "black box" that recorded the speed, throttle position, and some other information for the last few seconds before the impact that the police and the insurance companies can request. Have your insurance company get that information. I hope you are OK and will be in the future. My wife had a bad rear end collision 20+ years ago and still suffers some neck discomfort periodically to this day. With inflammation, you won't feel the worst of the effects till one or more days following the accident. Take anti-inflammatory medication like ibuprofen or acetaminophen even if you think you can stand the pain, it'll help control the inflammation.
With the distortion of the seat it was insisted that I get checked out at the hospital. My back is very sore and the Dr in the ER recommended OTC ibuprofen. No broken bones.
It's the soft tissue damage, my wife had massage therapy and rehab prescribed following the accident. Even though it was weeks, she still said it wasn't long enough.
