How can I verify if my Prius has automatic lights

you don't need to prove anything, the bus driver does. rear ending you is automatically his fault, unless she can prove otherwise.

 

All modern bus fleets have forward looking cameras. Have your insurance company ask them to prove you were driving with your lights off and ask to see the camera download from the bus.

 

The 2011 does not have automatic lights, either running lights or headlights, just a manual light switch (Off, Parking, Lowbeam/Headlights).

You may be confusing the auto Off function, which will automatically turn off your parking lights, or headlights after turning the car off, with automatic headlights.

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

 

typical bus driver, drugs and texting most likely.

 

Hi Morri, welcome.

Man, bummer deal and hope your OK!

I agree with BMan. Driver can't prove your lights were off. And that's where the burden lay. "Lights were on" is all you should say and leave it there. Going on about it in text or person is not to your advantage. Legally or just in the minds of anyone involved. Like Springer or judge Judy. The ones jumping up and down proclaiming stuff are more often proven to be less then truthful.

Say what ya mean, mean what ya say. And leave it alone.

The driver is making a claim. Up to her to prove it. As is and as Bisco said, she is automatically at fault if she rear ended you. Any extenuating circumstances have to be proven.

As you stated, you have no exposure.

I have been hit 3 times by other vehicles. Not once at fault and every one stated I had done some thing wrong. But as none of the 3 could prove it, they got the tickets and blame.

Lol, one was a drunk lawyer in a just off the showroom floor, car. Sticker still in rear window new.

He claimed I did not signal to turn and he rear ended me. The other 2 claimed I was speeding.

Point being, they could not prove my wrongdoing so did not mater.

Your fine. And hope ya can relax and not worry.
I know it's scary but they have the burden of proof. Not you.

Please let us know the outcome.

Deep breath!

 

As a former engineer for a transit bus manufacturer, I can tell you that a transit bus takes a lot longer distance to bring to a stop than a car does. If you pulled out when the bus was closer than that, there was no way for the bus to stop in time. If it was a yellow Dallas DART transit bus, then it should have had a forward facing camera on the bus attached to the accident recorder. I know that they were built that way.

Bill the Engineer

 

It looks like her Prius has a black box installed.

http://harristechnical.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/HTS_CDR_List.pdf

I don't know if it would record headlight usage, my guess in not.

 

I thought one was always responsible for the car in front of him. Period. Take it to small claims court. Everything else are side issues and not relevant to the issue. what a cheap bus company. What company is it?

 

She got hit when the bus, travelling in the opposite direction, turned left into her right of way. If the bus did not see her at night because she did not have her lights on, then that is where the cause of the accident would be. But from the facts, I believe that her lights were on.

Generally true for daytime, but it is negligent to drive at night without lights. if you are stopped on the freeway with no lights and I am doing the speed limit and cannot avoid an impact because by the time you were visible there was insufficient time to stop, then its going to on you, not me.

Auto-On appeared with the 2012 makeover, becoming standard on the Four and Five trims.

If it ends up in court, the issue will be decided by "a preponderance of the evidence." Everyone testifies and the jury/judge decides which side is more believable. If the evidence is in equipoise, then the defendant wins.

If I were on the jury, I would find against the bus driver and believe Morrigu. It seems almost impossible that someone could drive for that length of time in the dark and fog and not have had lights on. The fact that they were turned off after parking would not concern me because that's what you are trained to do when you get out of the car. You turn off the lights. Besides, her posts just sound honest and credible so that's how she would probable come off in court!

 

More to the story:
A Bus Hit My Prius, Dallas Repair? | PriusChat

This sounds really sad. Holiday season, single mom, working to make ends meet (not taking any public handout), gets dropped by insurance company, needs car to get to work, days later gets in accident with left-turning bus into her right-of-way, bus driver makes up story about no lights on.

Morrigu, if you start a GO FUND ME page, I'm in and I bet some others would be too. You sound like a really good person who is involved in a bad situation not of your making.