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To be clear, there is no good way to be hit by a car. However, if impact is unavoidable, some techniques are preferable to others. For instance, it is vital to stay clear of the wheels. My uncle Dale had learned this one the hard way at six years old when he chased a stray chicken across a country road and was run over by a car and drug for several yards stuck under the muffler. Miraculously, Dale survived despite being disfigured and losing his eye.
Naturally, it was Dale I thought of when that Honda Civic slammed on its breaks and slid into the pedestrian walkway I was currently occupying. Desperate not to get pulled under, I jumped as high as I could, and stretched out my hands to catch the hood. I ended up in a sort of handstand against the nose of the oncoming vehicle, but the car was coming too fast and my right arm buckled, slamming my shoulder into the car and dislodging my clavicle. The car skidded to a stop, leaving rubber so thick that the skid marks were clearly visible over the white crosswalk paint for at least four years. I was thrown clear of the car but at a fortunate enough angle that I was able to tumble to my feet without further damage.
A couple years later this knowledge and experience would serve me well and inform my decision-making when faced with an unintentionally accelerating Ford Crown Victoria. One of my friends had just purchased the aforementioned car and brought it to a local park to show it off. As they pulled in, the driver spotted me and knowing that I had been struck by a car before, he thought it would be funny to scare me by revving toward me and slamming the brakes. Unfortunately, because he was not familiar with the new car, he slammed his foot onto the accelerator instead. As the car approached, this time I jumped up and flattened out, twisting my legs away so that I would absorb contact with my chest and left hip. While the intended effect was achieved, an unintended side-effect is that I bounced off the hood and had only a fraction of a second to whip my upper body around before smashing back-first into the windshield. Twenty years later, I still find tiny bits of glass under my skin from time to time.
Here is some Good Advice: Always look both ways before crossing the street and keep an eye out for pedestrians while driving. There is no good way to get hit by a car, but it could happen to anyone, young or old. Every day is a blessing and tomorrow is not promised. Consult with an estate planning attorney today to make sure that if something happens to you, your wishes will be followed and your family will be cared for.
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