Uranus in Aries—a Heads Up for the Accident Prone

©3-6-2010 by Donna Cunningham, MSW

 How has your life changed with Uranus in headstrong, headlong Aries? If you’re the least bit accident prone, you may need to be extra cautious, especially if your chart has major placements in the early degrees of the Cardinal signs Aries, Cancer, Libra, or Capricorn.

However, I’ve studied accidents over the years and have reached some conclusions about why people have serious accidents. As I’ll share here, I believe that they can be prevented, but that involves making changes and heeding warning signals.

Why Accidents Happen—Give Me a Break!!

 I’ve always been fascinated with accidents, and whenever I encounter anyone whose life has been impacted by a serious one, I grill them. I want to know what was going on in their life before and how their life changed.

I’ve also looked into the lives of celebrities—people like Julio Iglesias, who was a soccer player before an accident so serious they said he’d never walk again. During the recuperation, he learned to play the guitar and sing, and that’s how his career began.

As the folks I interviewed pondered life before the event, many of them recalled that they felt stuck in a situation that no longer fit who they were, if it ever did.  Perhaps they had responsibilities to fulfill, or the opportunities they needed weren’t forthcoming, or maybe they were conforming to the expectations of family, a mate, or their profession. Their true self was getting lost. They felt more and more trapped, and yet there seemed no way out.

Unable to break free, they were restless, frustrated and rebellious. Then the accident happened, and in addition to broken body parts, there was a substantial break from the confining situation—an abrupt halt and the need for a new beginning.

The recovery period was a time of discovery, the opportunity to reflect on their true identity and their own particular genius. Convalescence gives them time to find their true path and the motivation to go ahead and make the change they need, so they can do more with the rest of their life.

 Research Studies about Accident Prone People

 So far as I know, there hasn’t been any astrological research into accidents.  I did find a number of medical and psychological studies whose results correlated with the qualities and behavior patterns of Uranian types or people under Uranus transits.

Divorce and separation are related to Uranus transits. Dr. Stanley Aronson of Brown University studied hundreds of traffic deaths and found that divorced, separated, and single people were far more likely to have fatal accidents.

Adolescence is a Uranian phase of life.  Dr. Flanders Dunbar found that more than half of all teen deaths are from accidents—and more than two thirds of deaths of boys in that age range.

Teens and technology are an especially lethal mix.  In 2007, driver distractions, such as using a cell phone or text messaging, contributed to nearly 1,000 crashes involving 16- and 17-year-old drivers. Over 60% of American teens admit to risky driving, and nearly half of those that admit to risky driving also admit to text messaging behind the wheel.

 Who are the Accident Prone People?

 A 2007 review of 79 studies involving 150,000 people led researchers at the University Medical Center Groningen to conclude accident-prone people do exist. One out of every 29 people has a 50 percent or higher chance of having an accident than the rest of us.

Uranian personality traits and behavior patterns do show up in accident studies.  The British Journal of Psychology reported that more accidents occurred to people whose qualities included “mild social deviance” and type-A behaviour patterns.

A study of taxicab drivers in Canada found that, compared with a control group of 100 drivers never involved in an accident, the group of drivers who had been involved in four or more crashes was approximately seven times more likely to have had contact with social agencies. These included adult and juvenile courts, social services, credit bureaus and public health. They concluded that ‘we drive as we live’.

Mental states that contributed to accidents included rushing, multitasking, and stress. They often happen when your mind is occupied elsewhere and thus you’re not paying attention to what you’re doing.

What qualities do people have who are NOT accident prone? A large research study by Scientists at the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology identified two key personality traits of people who did not have accidents: ‘dependability’ (conscientious and socially responsible behaviour) and ‘agreeableness’ (a lack of aggressive or self-centered tendencies). Those whose personalities feature high levels of these traits are less likely to be involved in accidents.

Astrological Indications: I found that people who were involved in serious accidents were strongly Uranian types, especially those with difficult natal or transiting aspects between Uranus and planets like Mars or Mercury, especially in the 1^st, 3^rd, or 6^th. (Natal or transiting Uranus in the 6^th may be prone to on-the job injuries.)

People with quincunxes from Uranus to those planets or the Ascendant or Midheaven can be major klutzes. How do you know for sure if a person is accident prone? Ask them—they’ve had repeated major and minor mishaps.

 4 Tips for Preventing Accidents

 In interviewing people who have had major accidents, I discovered several patterns that led up to them.  Here are things to watch out for:

1. DO NOT argue when you’re in a car, not with the driver, fellow passengers, or drivers of other cars, especially if transiting or natal Mars aspects Uranus. Save it for later discussion, as road rage can lead to carelessness…and car-lessness.
2. Observe yourself when walking or working at potentially dangerous tasks and notice when you’re not really in your body.  If you’re walking, let yourself feel your feet with each step and position them carefully. Keep pulling your mind back to the task at hand.  If you’re trying to sort out a weighty decision or upsetting condition, leave that for a time when you’re sitting quietly.
3.  If you start having a series of minor accidents or near-misses, go on Red Alert and be extremely cautious. I’d found this pattern in several of the people who wound up having serious accidents and later read a scientific study that verified it.
4.  Finally, if your instincts ever tell you not to get into a vehicle, DON’T GO. Park the car, cancel the social outing, or change your flight—no matter how much it costs or how much your decision might upset someone else. Those strong promptings come from our guardian angels, and we MUST NOT ignore them.

Uranus transits CAN mean an accident, but they don’t HAVE to mean an accident.  As we learned earlier, many people who have serious accidents felt stuck in a situation that no longer fit who they are. Look at the area Uranus is transiting, and if you’re either resisting making a change in that area or if the change you need to make seems impossible, dialogue with Uranus and brainstorm. Think of smaller steps toward making that change possible, or find out what else would satisfy your needs.

READERS:  Have you ever had a serious, life-changing accident?  Or are you accident prone?  So that we can all continue to learn about the astrology of accidents, would you mind providing your birth data and the dates, as closely as you possibly can, of life-changing accidents?   Leave it in the comment section.  We’re having quite a lively exchange about this information.

This article is featured in Uranus in Aries: Claiming a Self-Reliant Future, a collection of articles about Uranus transits published March 21 as Part of the 2010 International Astrology Day Blogathon. The purpose of this web-based event is to create a permanent library of articles about how to deal with the stresses of the Cardinal T-Square of Pluto, Saturn and Uranus. The main page for the Blogathon collections is at The Cardinal T-Square of 2010: Saturn, Uranus, Pluto.

About the Author:  Donna Cunningham is an internationally-respected author of books, articles, and columns about astrology, flower essences and other metaphysical topics. Her insights reflect her dual background in astrology and psychotherapy. She has a Master’s degree in Social Work from Columbia University and over 40 years of experience in working with people. Her ebooks can be found at Moon Maven Publications (http://www.moonmavenpublications.com) Visit her blog at https://skywriter.wordpress.com.

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