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'This Happens So Much More Than You Would Think': Woman Goes Through Car Wash. Then She Gets Rear-Ended 19 Times In 2 Minutes

"My neck hurts."

Woman Goes To Car Wash. What Happens Next Has Her Convinced It’s ‘Haunted’

Photo by: lauren.thomas10 & Zulfahmi Khani

Steve Ecker

By: Steve Ecker

Jan 21, at 8:00am ET

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Sometimes it’s just the strange sensation that someone is watching you. Other times, something inexplicable leads to the suspicion that you’re in the presence of the supernatural.

One woman’s experience at a car wash has her wondering whether it’s haunted.

Lauren (@lauren.thomas10) recently revealed the strange scenario that played out when she went to the car wash. Her video is horrifying viewers across TikTok. As of this writing, her post has over 2.7 million views.

Video surveillance shows that Lauren’s vehicle got stuck mid-wash. The vehicle behind didn’t stop. It proceeded to rear-end her 19 times in two minutes.

She captions the post, “new fear unlocked."

Viewers suggested that car wash accidents happen more often than most people realize.

“As somebody who was employed at a car wash, this happens so much more than you would think,” one wrote.

“This happened to me like eight years ago, and I cannot go into an automated car wash to this day,” another said.

Is The Car Wash Owner Responsible For Damage?

After a car wash accident, the question becomes: who's to blame?

The car wash owner will be liable for any damages that were caused by malfunctioning machinery or not following safety protocols. Progressive reports that the car wash will be liable for any damages if the following takes place:

The car wash facility didn’t properly maintain the equipment
A piece of facility equipment fell onto your vehicle and caused damage
Standard safety protocols weren’t followed by the business
Improper training of its employees
No signage, guidelines, or clear instructions on how to use the car wash

However, if the driver doesn’t follow the car wash instructions, they may be at fault. According to Progressive, whether this will be covered depends on how the vehicle got damaged and if the owner has comprehensive or collision coverage.

If your car is damaged in a car wash, immediately document it with photos and, if available, video. You should also ask to fill out an accident report at the car wash and file a police report.

Are Automatic Car Washes Risky To Use?

Car washes are overwhelmingly safe, but there are some risks.

The car wash can damage vehicles with malfunctioning machinery, improperly maintained equipment, or dirty brushes that scratch the paint. Any objects sticking out of your vehicle, such as spoilers or radio aerial, may be damaged.

Spencer Morgan Law lists five main dangers of using an automatic car wash:

Malfunctioning machinery: The mechanical components including rollers, sprayers, and tracks are expected to operate smoothly. When coordination of these components/sensors are off or fail, the vehicle can get stuck or pulled unexpectedly. If this happens, people in the vehicle may be injured.
Slippery Surfaces: Floors can get slippery and slick from the water, soaps, and cleaning chemicals. Owners should have proper signage about the risk and take anti-slip precautions.
Getting trapped or injuring fingers or limbs: In the rare case (not advised), drivers exit their vehicle or reach outside of it during a wash. This may end with their fingers or limbs caught in the equipment.
Sudden vehicle movements: Improper signaling or faulty guideline system can cause the vehicle to move too quickly or stop abruptly.
Electrical hazards: Faulty design or damage to a vehicle’s electric system can expose it to the high-powered liquid car washes use, leading to the risk of electric shock

Although Lauren’s video is an example of one of the more frightening things that can happen in a car wash, people were more amused than frightened.

“This is actually where baby cars come from,” one joked.

“Is this how hybrids are made,” echoed a second

Others focused on the legal aspect of the video.

“As a personal injury paralegal, I’m not gonna lie, this is a lawyer’s dream,” one commented.

“My neck hurts and I have bad headaches that won’t go away,” another joked.

What do you think?

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“Whelp good news is everybody getting paid, bad news is no more car wash,” a third agreed.

Motor1 has contacted Lauren via Instagram and TikTok direct message and will update the story if she replies.

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