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I would like to add a few things here:
@Lux.sh
No matter what car, no matter what brand of tyres, when it's raining nothing can save you. There is a high chance that in the rain, just as you turned your wheel to take the corner there was a "build-up" of water..the tyres leave the road and the car start slipping. All the suspension and traction control in the world can't help...not even ABS braking.
When driving in normal conditions, you only have about an A4 page of tyre holding you to the road. When it starts to rain, the tyres do their best to "disperse" the water, but essentially you lose ALOT more grip. With wet slippery leaves (that the tyre cannot disperse) there is even less grip. In this very sad case, there was not enough grip to hold the car on the road. The situation is even worse if it's the first hard rain of the season, or hard rain in a while as their is grease and dirt all over the roads.
Since I went on both BMW Advanced Driver Training, and another more technical advanced driver training course - I am petrified to drive in the rain. I reduce my speed drastically. In the clear, that 35mph corner could have easily been taken at 45mph or even 50mph. In the rain, you should take corners below their recommended speed - at say 20mph or even slower.
Near my house we have a nice long curve - In the clear I can take it at 110km/h + with my E90. When it rains, if I take it at 60km/h I feel the car slipping, so I usually slow right down to about 40-50km/h.
Another thing: If anyone has seen accident tests being conducted...most of them are only conducted at 30km/h. This is because above 30km/h - accident forces are so unpredictable, they wouldn't be able to compare tests to determine how safe a car is.
I think in this case the car did it's job very well. It collapsed, and protected you - the driver. If that LA times article is correct, the car should most definately be totaled!! Glad you are ok!
And remeber, if it's raining - drive like an old granny...
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