Risk & Business Magazine Gifford Associates Fall 2016 | Page 30

WHEN ACCIDENTS ARE NOT ACCIDENTS

I

was driving into work this
morning. I was in a hurry because
I slept in (I pressed the dismiss
button on the alarm instead
of snooze). I am sure many can
relate. I was going to be late for a 7 a.m.
appointment as it was twenty-five to
thirty minutes away and it was 6:40 a.m.
when I left the house. I hate being late
and I hate making people wait for me.

I have a Bluetooth in my car, and I can’t
tell you how easy that is to use. I speak;
the car listens and dials for me. So I
called my contact for the appointment
to let him know I was running behind.
Now if everyone on the road was paying
attention this morning, then the traffic,
which at that time was getting heavy,
would have been moving along okay
and I may have been able to make the
trip in thirty minutes. But that was not
the case. Why? Because there was not
just one rear-end collision in the fast
lane, there were two rear-end collisions
within fifty meters of each other.
Accident—this is a term that we use
frequently in the insurance industry.
We call a fender bender or an all-out,
multi-vehicle pileup an “accident.”
However, I believe we often use the term
incorrectly, if not recklessly. For the
record, the word is defined as follows:
1.

An unfortunate incident that
happens unexpectedly and
unintentionally, typically
resulting in damage or injury

2.

An event that happens by chance
or that is without apparent or
deliberate cause

But the two events I witnessed this
morning actually fall outside of
unexpected, unintentional or chance—
they were avoidable. And I say this with

When Accidents
Are Not Accidents
30

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FALL 2016