Ever been in an accident in a Beetle?

[bandi]

I hit an unmarked raised manhole cover in my mildly lowered '69 Bug doing about 40 mph. It caught the front beam and stopped me dead. Destroyed the beam and bent the steering shaft and steering wheel. I was okay other than sore wrists.

Oddly enough, it was marked with fluorescent orange paint the next day.

I replaced all the bent stuff but the car was never the same, I'm guessing the tunnel was a bit tweaked as well.
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'60 Canadian Standard, '64 Bug, '66 Bug, '66 Bus, '69 Sunroof Bug, '71 Super, '72 Super, '73 Canadian Custom, '73 Super, '74 Love Bug, '83 Mexi Bug, '94 Mexi Bug, '99 New Beetle, '02 New Beetle Turbo S. And some Fieros.

[67rustavenger]

1982 I as traveling in my 1st 67.
I rear ended a VW Dasher sitting at a red light, the driver with his foot off the brake pedal. The light was obstructed by a tree branch so, I didn't notice it until it was too late.
I hit the brakes 12ft from the ass end of the Dasher at 35mph.
My head hit the windshield hard and I got a cut finger on my right hand from the broken horn ring.
I walked away, the Dasher driver was taken to the hospital with back pain.
The remains of the 67 were sold to a friend for $400.

It was sad to loose that 67, it went everywhere all over California from the SF Bay area to the deserts of AZ to Mammoth Mt. for ski weekends. That car rarely gave me any issues.
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I have learned over the years.
Cheap parts are gonna disappoint you.
Buy Once, Cry Once!

There's never enough time to do it right the first time. But there's always enough time to do it thrice.
GFY's Xevin and VW_Jimbo!
2003 Astrovan? GFYS again, Xevin!
Don't let your bad ideas remain, ideas!

[Bobs67vwagen]

I had one similar to jack from nj in 1973 with my 1970 bug. I busted up my lip on the steering wheel and hit the windshield. I took the motor out and put it into a 1968 bug that I bought for $200.00 and was motoring again soon. I have put lots of miles in bugs and I always try to be extra defensive in driving today with other drivers looking at phones and screens on the dash. I also put shoulder belts in my 67 bug and use them.

[pastellgreen]

[zerotofifty]

Drive safe. I have been in wrecks in a Bug. Drive them like you're on a bike, use care.
People have died in big assed modern suburbans, huge semi trucks, even in tanks due to a wreck. Heck in a modern tesla you maybe become trapped in a raging lithium inferno, cause the doors handles dont work.

Safety starts with YOU

We all will die someday.
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Sorry About That Chief.

Give Peace a Chance.

Words to live by.

[jack1448]

I just found this picture of my 1966 Sea Blue bug – it was from ~1975. I bought the car for $75 without an engine from a friend’s father. It was a solid car with new tires and only minor surface rust on the heater channels and rear fender.

I swapped the stale air 40 hp from my rust bucket ~60 ghia convertible and had started working on some of the rust (thus the rustolium paint on rear fender and elsewhere). I had maybe 1000 miles on it when an older man turned left in front of me while I was going ~45 mph – this was on RT46 in eastern CT. Of course, no seat belts and my head hit the windshield. I remember my Dad had to pick me up from the ER that night.

I took this picture the next day at the wreaking yard when I went to pick up my tools and other stuff out of the car. I pocketed $625 from his insurance company, from which I bought my 68 beetle for $425. VW’s were so much more affordable then!

[Chris Paterson]

Way back in 03' I was working my way through college at a local deli. One morning a delivery order came in and I was on task to take it. I hoped in my 1970 VW bug to swing around the corner and take the delivery.

I was about to get on the freeway, heading under the overpass to get to the south-bound onramp when an LA County Fire Paramedics truck came blazing through the non-lighted intersection with lights and sirens in full.

They made a left-hand turn right in front of me and didn't see me barreling along at 40mph in a bright-lime-green bug. I guess I never saw them either (I don't remember anything!). I slammed in to the toolbox of the truck behind the passender side. I was only 21 at the time and stupid. I wasn't wearing a seatbelt. I slammed my head into the windshield and body into the steering wheel.

The car was pretty messed up

I spent a few days in the hospital (3 days in ICU) with only a major concussion. No broken bones, no permanent injuries. So I ended up OK

A lot of it is all chance. I probably should have died. I'm not sure driving a bug made it any worse. I think if I wasn't wearing a seatbelt in any car, I would have had the same problems. If I was wearing a seatbelt I probably wouldn't have hit the windshield and wouldn't have even made a trip to the hospital.
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- Chris
58' PGSG

[Alby's Dubby]

[Steve Herndon]

Years ago I rear-ended a 65 Jaguar XKE with my '68. The VW front shot under the Jag's rear, knocked off both mufflers. When I finally came to a stop, the Jag's license plate was almost touching my windshield. I put the bug in reverse and backed out, setting the Jag back on the pavement. I ended up needing a new hood and a new insurance agent.

I suppose the other vehicle matters, if that had been a large truck with a full bumper, it would have been a much different story.
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Steve H - '63 Ruby Red Sedan, 198,000 miles, stock, 6v
Former:
'68 Sunroof Auto
'73 SB: Best Ever College Car
'73 SB Convertible

[andrewsanteiro]

drunk driver, rain, sharp turn, rolled the embankment. My mom walked away from this. She ended up with her legs out the back window sitting in the trunk space behind the back seat. That car was rusted from Minnesota roads.
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On the road. Thanks to the Samba!
72' 1600cc Baja Bug

[thejetter]

once got rear ended at about 5-10 mph in stop n go traffic in my 63 bug. that just pushed my bumper and muffler in just enough to pry my valve cover a bit, then half way home my valve cover fell into the street, that was scary going home, leaking all my oil

once again someone hit my passenger front side going about 15mph. messed up my bumper and fender so it rubbed against my tire and i had to pry it off.

i was never hurt, thankfully

[bugninva]

[Faustuss]

[sturgeongeneral]

My first one was in '77 in my 60 ragtop. He ran a light and tboned me. Broke 3 ribs, major concussion, and totalled my first major restoration. Second was about a year later in a 63. Spent a week in the hospital on that one. More broken ribs, broken arm, hand, etc. Switched over to a full size truck as a daily driver, but still built racing engines and ran a baha offroad.
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Street legal fiberglass rocket ship
2005 Lotus Elise supercharged
1974 Chevy Corvette
My fiberglass car collection!

In honor of bowtie56jw:Another victim of the nasty "C" Praying for ya Jeff!

My exwife said if I towed home one more bug she would leave me. You know, every once in a while I miss her

[Rustforlife]

The day I finally finished my oval, an elderly guy in a Cadillac pulled in front of me, I had right of way. I had bolted the front bumper on no less than 6 hours earlier. No injuries, but the bumper, hood, fender and front quarter panel were toast. Got it all fixed and was able to pocket over $400 in insurance $$

[Lighter Klepto]

was in 3 fender benders in my 73

first was driving in rush hour, sped up to go through the green light... and there was another light after that really close, and it was red, so everyone stopped short... and I couldnt stop fast enough pumped the brakes 3 times and locked up everytime, was going maybe 30and was able to almost stop before impact.... crunched up my front pass fender and it rubbed a groove in the tire, on the way home... I had no front bumper, at the time

another was a lady from behind, while I was stopped at a light... she almost stopped in time, and it barely moved my back bumper

next was turning out of a parking lot... the guy in front of me went, i looked to check on coming and gassed it... only to look over and see the guy in front of me stopped... crunched another fender


Then on to my 68...... no bumpers at all... only had lap belts

drunk dude pulled in front of me head on... i was going about 35, he was probably doing 15 or so ... he was in a 90's ford f150 i swerved at the last second, so the passenger front took the brunt of it... Fed my bug up... bent the beam, crunched both fenders and hood, bent the front point of the pans... passenger side was smashed all the way to the door... the spare took ALOT of the damage

I cut and bruised my arm on the steering wheel... bent abd cracked that steering wheel all to hell... My head hit the widnshield, I broke a toothfrom my teeth clattering together... cracked my ribs, and was sore as hell for a week or so from the whiplash,

I was able to walk away and call my wife.... the drunk dude ran off, and had no insurance and was not a citizen....

the bug was pretty totalled, it got parted out and cut up

I also was driving my 70 ghia on the highway, doing 70 mph in the fastlane, over a bridge with no breakdown lane.. when the last lugnut came of the front drivers wheel....

I was lucky to have fat tires and aftermarket mags.. the axle caught the inset of the rim and I was able to pull over without flipping and dieng...

remember to TIGHTEN your lugnuts before driving off, after doing repairs!!!!

I just got A 60 rag with no belts.... I will be adding lapbelts before driving it
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67 Beetle... my first car ever - SOLD

73 Beetle... my second car ever daily driver for 7 years - SOLD

68 Beetle... SMASHED, parted out, cut up, and scrapped

70 Ghia... SOLD

60 Beetle Ragtop... JUST BOUGHT IT.. WOOT!

[bugninva]

in lower speed accidents lap belts are not great, as you noted... their *only* benefit is in accidents where you can or would be ejected from the vehicle... they may keep your face bouncing off the dash, but that is possibly better than being ejected... as Alby's Dubby said, and I agree, lap and shoulder belts are mandatory(in my opinion) even on antique vehicles that folks plan to drive in traffic...
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[puttin slow]

lap belts do no justice. all they did for me was fold me over and smash my face in the steering wheel. My passanger would have smashed her face into the steel dash if she would have had her lap belt on. I think she was the lucky one.

[Alby's Dubby]

I don’t want to be judgemental but….if you don’t have lap and diagonal belts in your cars (even if they weren’t an original fitting) and don’t wear them any time you drive it…you’re asking for big, bad trouble

[puttin slow]

I rear ended an Expedition in highschool with my 66 bug going about 15-20mph. My front was lowered so I went under the rear bumper and the tow hitch almost poked through my gas tank. My ex girlfriend wasnt wearing her seatbelt and the battery poped up from under the backseat and knocked her seat off the track and smashed her face into the windshield. I ate the steering wheel and luckily didnt hit my teeth. My door wouldn't open and someone had to open it from outside. My nice new white seats were stained with my blood and the car was totaled. All I remember was it sounded like someone threw a big glass bowl on the ground.