After recently being involved in a rather high speed road traffic accident, I have needed to hear about and see the results of other peoples experiences. Your web-site has helped me that little bit more in coming to terms with what has happened and just how serious my accident was. Thank you. This is my account of what had happened........ It was approximately 07:15 on the morning of Friday 12th August 2005.

The roads were slightly damp from a little rainfall the night before, the morning was bright and rather warm and the traffic as usual for that time of day was very light. The maximum permitted speed along this section of road is 60mph. I was travelling along the 'A6' from the 'A14' towards the city of Leicester to collect my friend for work.

I had travelled this route for several weeks prior to the accident and therefore new the road layouts rather well.

As I was coming towards the village of kibworth where the road is a rather long, wide and straight section of single lane carriageway, a vehicle in the distant oncoming traffic pulled out to overtake the lead vehicle which was a fuel tanker.

Although I could see that the vehicle was now heading directly towards me on my side of the carriageway, I thought that because it had pulled out rather quickly from behind the fuel tanker that it would have sufficient speed to be able to pass and get back into their side of the carriageway safely.

As the vehicle heading towards me drew closer, i began to realise that they did not have sufficient speed to overtake safely and so I proceded to move my vehicle over as close as I could to the kerbside to allow more room for the oncoming vehicle to pass by me.

Unfortunately, the oncoming vehicle seemed to mirror my action and also moved their vehicle to the same kerbside.

Due to the combined speed that were travelling, the gap between us closed rapidly and I knew that we were going to hit head-on. At the last split second prior to impact I swerved towards the ditch to try and avoid the collision but so did the other driver.

We smashed head-on and I was knocked unconscious at the point of impact.

I remember regaining consciousness, my steering wheel was pressed against my chest, my right arm was hanging out of the drivers door window. I could see hedgerows to my right, the windscreen was totally shattered but still intact, there was so much steam floating in the air around the car that I could not see out through the passenger windows either.

I could hear voices outside but could not see anyone. My airbag had deployed and was now deflated.

I wanted to get away from the steering wheel so I lifted my right arm up to pull it back into the car so that I could recline the seat, but my forearm was broken and hanging awkwardly.
I looked at the location of the reclining lever but could not see it anyway as the side of the vehicle was pushed right in against my seat, so I lowered my arm. I thought that I might be able to slide over to the passenger side of the vehicle but I could not move as my legs were trapped.

That's pretty much all I remember as I kept fading in and out of consciousness.

Apparently, it took emergency crews 45minutes to cut me free from the wreckage before taking me to hospital.

I had sustained the following injuries which required two, four hour operations including a skin graft, a stint in intensive care, four weeks hospitalisation and now currently having physiotherapy sessions and also cognetive therapy:-

open fracture to lower right tibia
three fractured metatarsals in my right foot
fractured radius and ulna in my right arm
badley bruised left shoulder
fractured sternum
two smashed molars on my right side
deflated left lung

People look at the pictures and tell me how lucky I am to have survived. I look at the pictures and still can't believe that I was the driver of this vehicle.

Someone was watching over me that day.

The person that hit me is still in hospital and may me for several months yet.

Thank you for allowing me to tell my story.