that's sort of what ran through my head when i read about how the OP got hit..
it seems alot of folks just forget that cars have blind spots... i'm sure most have driven cars, but it still seems hard to remember for some reason...

i remember reading someone's tips on not getting hit and they mentioned riding as though you were invisible... just assume always that cars don't see you... it 100% foolproof but it can really help to prevent getting hit this way...

just being more alert and thinking before doing things goes a long way.

realizing this isn't what the poster asked...
i ride fixed and rode road bikes and ss for awhile before going fixed... i'd say the stopping is pretty close to the same on either, once you get comfortable - assuming you've got a brake up front... i dont think it's any quicker than having a ss with a brake in the back...

i do know that i feel better stopping fixed in the rain than i did with a freewheel...