2nd accident 100% my fault in every way in almost 1.3 million miles of driving

[nookandcrannycar]

Sorry mods ...I've got a few questions and I'm unsure to which section this post should be added.

I've been driving (not professionally...just driving like everyone else) since the 1970s. I've driven probably close to 1.3 million miles in the U.S.(every state except HI and AK), Canada (every province), Mexico, Ireland, Northern Ireland, England, Wales, Scotland, Italy, Germany, Sweden, Denmark, etc. in scores of vehicles (my own cars, family cars, company cars, company cars my dad had, rental cars, friend's cars, etc. Over these decades, I've gotten in 2 accidents that were 100% my fault in every way. One was a really bad one when I was 18, and the other was (what turned out to be) a fender bender today ().

I was in Huntsville, TX, with 297,404 miles on my Yaris. This happened about 10 min before I reached the 8 year mark with my Yaris (8 years since driving away from the dealership). I was on the northbound I-45 feeder road and wanted to get on the southbound I-45 feeder road on the other side of the freeway. Such roads in Texas have 'before the upcoming signal bypass the signal U-turn lanes. I utilized such a lane (one with an overpass over I-45) just before the signal with State Highway 30. I got over the freeway to the opposite side and then was stopped in traffic. Eventually, there was one car ahead of me. That driver 'launched' to merge and I mentally checked off that he/she had gone. I looked back,keeping a close eye and waiting until there was enough space to be the next person to 'launch'. I 'launched', and before I could get my head completely around I'd hit that car that I thought had launched and cleared but was still at the end of the U-turn lane (not out in traffic). I wasn't going very fast (I'd only traveled a few feet).

I was lucky. The driver was a healthy high school student who was on his way to do something for an AP class. Some of his AP buddies were in a Jeep a few cars behind me and they pulled over as well. He was driving his parents 2003 Ford Expedition Eddie Bauer Edition. The Expedition will probably need a new bumper cover, plus the piece below the passenger side tail light repainted. My Yaris....initially..ugh. I could barely pull off the road re wheel travel. I called AAA and spoke with an adjuster and coordinated with the adjuster re when he would call the other driver.

I pulled the front part of the wheel well liner off (before driving away to the nearby Starbucks). I then had full 'steering/turning travel' for the wheel, but when I'd go over a bump, the tire I got from CTScott would scrape on the left front fender. I went to Starbucks for a few minutes. Before leaving, I bent the fender back away from the tire as much as I could. While driving back to Montgomery County...no more rubbing re the tire ....and driving seems to be normal (frame bent ?). The headlight lens doesn't appear to be cracked or damaged.

One other issue...obviously very inconvenient...is that the fender was knocked back enough that the diver door won't open more than a couple of inches . I had to crawl out of the car when we pulled over.

I'm thinking that removing the fender would alleviate this problem (????).
So...a few questions:

1. Will removing the fender 'free up' the driver door?....or is that an unknown unless someone is physically looking at the car.

2. Is it legal to drive in Texas without a front fender as long as the headlight and turn signals function normally?

3. If I take it to a very reasonable local shop ($10.00 to swap my battery, under $20.00 (IIRC) to replace my control arm bolts, and not much more (IIRC) to clean my rear brakes) would they be able to remove the fender for me easily...or would I have to have a body shop do that even though I'm not going to 'have it fixed' (I have really high liability limits, but I don't carry comp or collision (I don't carry a note, and can replace if needed) ?

4. Taking into consideration that I don't have comp or collision, and that it seems to be driving okay......Do I need to determine if the frame is bent?

I was going to take this car to California next week, but now I'll take my 2014.