Featured image of post [Tesla Model Y Triangle Accident #1] Snowy Road Collision & Insurance Reality: The Start of a Triple-Panel Repair
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[Tesla Model Y Triangle Accident #1] Snowy Road Collision & Insurance Reality: The Start of a Triple-Panel Repair

A record of a Tesla Model Y accident on a snowy downhill road during my morning commute. I sincerely apologize to the other driver, and this post walks through the insurance process from the at-fault driver's side.

TL;DR

  1. Morning commute, snowy downhill, my car slid and rear-ended the vehicle ahead. I want to apologize to the other driver here, up front.
  2. All three front panels — hood, front support panel, fender — took damage. That’s the “Triangle accident” this series is named after.
  3. This post covers what happened and the insurance process I went through as the at-fault driver.

I was on my way to the office. Alone. The snow from the night before had frozen into ice overnight. Heading down a hill I drive every day, the car in front got close, fast.

“Grrr-chk-chk!”

Tesla’s ABS worked hard to slow me down, but on ice it wasn’t enough. The moment it hit me — I’m going to hit that car — I checked the side lane first. Already a line of cars there. Nowhere to go. I stood on the brake. Rear-ended the car in front.

Accident Scene: Santa Fe meets Model Y The moment right after my Model Y slid into the back of a Santa Fe on the downhill.

I got out and checked on the other driver first. They looked okay. “I’m sorry — the car slid and I couldn’t stop,” I said, apologizing before anything else.

Once things were sorted at the scene, I called my wife. Before I even got to explaining what happened, she asked if I was hurt.

Snow packed onto the wheel and tire The tire right after driving on the snow. Not much grip left to work with.

Looking at the tire condition, it wasn’t hard to see why the car slid the way it did.

What Is a “Triangle” Accident?

It’s a term used a lot in Korea’s used-car market — damage to three major front components at the same time:

  • Bonnet (Hood): The cover for the front trunk
  • Front Panel: The structural frame supporting the radiator, etc.
  • Fender: The body panel above the wheels

My Model Y had all three.

Front damage on the Tesla Model Y Hood popped up, license plate hanging loose. A textbook Triangle accident.

Once I confirmed the damage, the insurance process began.

Insurance Status

As the at-fault driver, there’s one thing I want: the other car restored to exactly how it was before the accident.

Initial Estimate The first repair estimate.

The estimate changed during the process.

Increased Estimate A revised estimate after additional damage was found.

Note: Hidden damage from a rear collision According to experts, a rear-end collision can deform the frame or exhaust system internally even when nothing looks wrong from the outside. That’s likely why the estimate changed.

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