ON SEPTEMBER 13TH, 2018, I WAS DRIVING OUT OF THE STATE, DURING A ROAD TRIP ON MY WAY FROM CANNON BEACH TO PORTLAND IN THE STATE OF OREGON AROUND 9PM, I WAS DRIVING MY 2018 MAZDA 3 ON NORTH OF HIGHWAY I-5 WHEN RAIN BEGAN DURING RUSH TRAFFIC. I HAD THE AUTOMATIC FRONT WIPERS ON AND THEY BEGAN PERFORMING THEIR FUNCTION FOR ABOUT 3 MINUTES WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY WENT OFF. RAIN GOT HEAVIER AND EVEN AFTER TRYING TO ACTUATE THE WIPER LEVER TO HIGH SPEED, THE FRONT WIPERS FAILED TO START WORKING AGAIN. I WAS IN THE MIDDLE LANE OF A THREE-WAY ROAD AND WAS HAVING A HARD TIME TRYING TO SEE THROUGH TO GO STOP AND PARK IN A SHOULDER. TRAFFIC BEGAN TO SLOW DOWN AND I COULD BARELY SEE THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD. I TURNED ON THE EMERGENCY LIGHTS AND BEGAN HONKING TO TRY TO STOP IN THE LEFT SHOULDER. HOWEVER, TRAFFIC SUDDENLY BEGAN TO STOP AND I HAD TO HARD BRAKE BEFORE CRASHING INTO A TRUCK IN FRONT OF ME, BUT ANOTHER TRUCK MANAGED TO BARELY EVADE ME HOWEVER IT DID SCRAPE ME AND THE REAR OF THE CAR, I COULD NOT SEE THE LICENSE PLATE OF THE TRUCK DUE TO THE WIPERS NOT WORKING DURING THE DOWNPOUR. I HAD TO WAIT ON THE SHOULDER UNTIL THE RAIN STOPPED, TRIED CALLING ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE BUT THE RAIN EASED. THE REAR BUMPER OF THE VEHICLE GOT DAMAGED BECAUSE OF THE WIPERS FAILURE, HOWEVER THE SAFETY CONCERN COULD HAVE BEEN WORSE SUCH AS THE VEHICLE GETTING ME INTO MAJOR ACCIDENT WHERE MORE THAN ONE CAUSALITY COULD HAVE OCCURRED. OTHER THAN THAT, THE TIME WASTED DURING MY VACATIONS AND RESOURCES TO PUSH HOTEL STAYS IS MINIMAL YET TO BE ACCOUNTED FOR. BUT NOW THE DISTRESS OF THE INCIDENTS HAS LED TO MENTAL REPERCUSSIONS.
NHTSA ODI 11131123