Was my husband's car hit twice in a 3 car collision?

In summary, a forum user is seeking help for her husband who was in a car accident where he was the middle car in a chain collision. The cars were traveling at highway speeds and suddenly stopped, causing the middle car to be hit from behind and push into the car in front. The user is wondering if the physics of the situation could explain how this happened. However, without more information about the speed and actions of each car, it is difficult to determine the exact cause of the accident.
  • #1
sparent
Hello I am new here. I am currently working on my masters in Engineering Tech and have looked to this Forum for help before.

I am posting here b/c I am looking for some help... my husband was in a car accident and was the notorious middle car. The cars in his lane went from 35-40 to 0 pretty quickly and he was hit from behind and hit the car in front of him.

The weird thing is there were 2 impacts... is it possible that the force from the car behind him caused him to hit the car in front of him, and he bounced between the 2 cars?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2
It depends which happened first, did he hit the car in front and then get rear ended? Or did he stop, and then get rear ended and pushed into the car in front?
 
  • #3
sparent said:
Hello I am new here. I am currently working on my masters in Engineering Tech and have looked to this Forum for help before.

I am posting here b/c I am looking for some help... my husband was in a car accident and was the notorious middle car. The cars in his lane went from 35-40 to 0 pretty quickly and he was hit from behind and hit the car in front of him.

The weird thing is there were 2 impacts... is it possible that the force from the car behind him caused him to hit the car in front of him, and he bounced between the 2 cars?
The first car had to brake from 35 or 40 to 0, then your husband's car collided with the first car, then the third car hit your husband's car?

I was a passenger in a stopped car (early Honda Civic) that was hit (rear-ended) at high speed. The impact pushed our car, with the brake on, into the car in front of us. The Honda Civic was basically totalled. The guy in front got a dented rear bumper. The car that his us was slightly damage in front, and the driver took my friend, who was the driver, and me to the hospital to get us checked out. So it is possible for the middle car to be propelled by the third car into the first car, if the third car is traveling fast enough, and especially if the third car has more mass than the middle car.
 
Last edited:
  • #4
sparent said:
Hello I am new here. I am currently working on my masters in Engineering Tech and have looked to this Forum for help before.

I am posting here b/c I am looking for some help... my husband was in a car accident and was the notorious middle car. The cars in his lane went from 35-40 to 0 pretty quickly and he was hit from behind and hit the car in front of him.

The weird thing is there were 2 impacts... is it possible that the force from the car behind him caused him to hit the car in front of him, and he bounced between the 2 cars?

Hi sparent - how is your husband now? I hope he's OK.

Could you describe what happened in a bit more detail? What was the (approximate) speed of all the cars initially? How far apart were they?
 
  • #5
The cars were initially traveling at highway speeds around ~60mph. Then there was steady braking to about ~35-40mph, at which point the brakes were slammed to a very quick stop. The last car slammed into the middle car, pushing the middle car into the first car. There was about half a car length between the first and the middle car when they were stopped.

Thanks for the replies! :)
 
  • #6
sparent said:
The cars were initially traveling at highway speeds around ~60mph. Then there was steady braking to about ~35-40mph, at which point the brakes were slammed to a very quick stop. The last car slammed into the middle car, pushing the middle car into the first car. There was about half a car length between the first and the middle car when they were stopped.

Thanks for the replies! :)
What is it you are asking? This isn't enough information to go by. Are you asking about your husband being rear ended twice? Yes, that's quite common. Was your husband at fault? Only the police will be able to tell.
 
  • #7
Yes, that's what I was asking. Is there a physics explanation that could be applied to this case?
 
  • #8
sparent said:
Yes, that's what I was asking. Is there a physics explanation that could be applied to this case?
We would need information that you don't have.

Was your husband following too close and going too fast? Did he suddenly slam on his brakes too late causing the collision? Or is that what the person in front of him did, not giving your husband enough time to react? What was the car behind your husband doing? We don't know any of these things.
 
  • #9
I remember one time when going around a corner, the person in front of me suddenly slammed on their brakes, I glanced up and saw the person behind me was barreling down on me, oblivious to what was happening, so I swerved into the other lane, which was luckily empty, and the car behind me slammed into the car in front of me and I was safe. Sometimes just paying attention will save you from an accident. It's not the only time that knowing what the cars around me were doing allowed me to make a snap decision that got me out of a collision.
 
  • #10
Evo said:
I remember one time when going around a corner, the person in front of me suddenly slammed on their brakes, I glanced up and saw the person behind me was barreling down on me, oblivious to what was happening, so I swerved into the other lane, which was luckily empty, and the car behind me slammed into the car in front of me and I was safe. Sometimes just paying attention will save you from an accident. It's not the only time that knowing what the cars around me were doing allowed me to make a snap decision that got me out of a collision.

:approve: excellent job, although a bit OT, this is very important. The big issue is Situational awareness. Some general who was famous for winning a few battles told us in a lecture that if you are involved in a car accident, it's your fault, no matter who caused it. You should have anticipated that it could happen. Know exactly what's going on around you all the time. Also recommended: OODA loop.
 

1. What is the probability that my husband's car was hit twice in a 3 car collision?

The probability of this happening would depend on several factors, such as the speed and direction of the cars involved, the angle of impact, and the size and weight of the vehicles. It would be difficult to determine an exact probability without further information.

2. Are there any scientific studies that have looked at the likelihood of a car being hit more than once in a multi-car collision?

There have been studies that have looked at the overall frequency and severity of multi-car collisions, but it is unlikely that there are any specific studies focusing on the likelihood of a car being hit more than once in such an event.

3. Can you explain the physics behind a car being hit twice in a 3 car collision?

The physics behind a car being hit twice in a 3 car collision would involve momentum, force, and energy transfer between the cars. This would be affected by factors such as the speed and direction of the cars, the angle of impact, and the distribution of mass and weight among the vehicles.

4. Is it possible for my husband's car to have been hit twice by the same car in a 3 car collision?

Possibly, but it would depend on the specific circumstances of the collision. For example, if the cars were moving in a circular motion or if there were multiple impacts due to ricocheting off of other cars or objects, it could be possible for one car to hit another multiple times.

5. How can I determine if my husband's car was hit twice in a 3 car collision?

The best way to determine this would be to gather evidence from the scene of the collision, such as damage to the cars and statements from witnesses. It may also be helpful to consult with a professional accident reconstructionist who can analyze the evidence and provide a scientific interpretation of what likely occurred.

Similar threads

I Car Accident Physics - Are Wheels/Tires Good or Bad Energy Absorbers?
    • Classical Physics
Replies
1
Views
613
What was the impact force of a 30 mph collision on my Scion xB?
    • General Discussion
Replies
1
Views
1K
Three Car Collision - Can physics help clarify twin impact?
    • Mechanics
Replies
3
Views
15K
A Trying to solve an auto accident question
    • Mechanics
Replies
1
Views
572
What was the impact force of the car that hit me while riding my bike in 1989?
    • General Discussion
Replies
1
Views
1K
Car Crash Analysis: Analyzing Friction & Speed
    • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
9
Views
3K
B Hey guys, I'm going to say right up front that I haven't a c
    • Classical Physics
Replies
1
Views
879
Dog damaged neighbors car, want your input.
    • General Discussion
Replies
7
Views
9K
Solving Car Collision: Velocity Impact of 40cm Rear End Impact
    • Mechanics
Replies
17
Views
2K
Which Accelerometer is Best for Measuring G-Force in a Car-Bicycle Collision?
    • Electrical Engineering
Replies
9
Views
1K

Hot Threads

Recent Insights

Back
Top