Workmates cheat death after ‘taxi crash’ catapults BMW onto wrong side of A34
The driver and passengers of a BMW are lucky to be alive after a 50mph crash catapulted them onto the wrong side of the A34. A van driver managed to avoid a head-on collision with the BMW which had been shunted through a gap in the central reservation. The BMW was 'smoking' as it headed towards the van before crashing into a roadside barrier.
The three occupants needed medical attention following the Christmas Eve crash on Talke Road, in Bradwell, after clocking off from EMS Industries for Christmas. Passenger Cole Cobden says the collision occurred when a taxi driver attempted to reach the central reservation - sending the BMW onto the wrong side of the A34. The 19-year-old, from Bentilee, said: "The taxi pulled out from the Premier Inn.
We went straight into them because we're going at 50mph. We hit it and swerved.
The taxi lost a wheel in the smash"I was in the passenger seat, where he clipped us. So I had most of the damage.
All the damage to the car was on my side. The windscreen was shattered, all the airbags were out, and it went pitch black in the car. As soon as the crash happened, the car started smoking.
My natural instinct was to just get out straight away, because I was worried it might set on fire or blow up. "It was traumatic. It was the first time I've ever been in a crash.
It's left me with back pain, hip pain, neck pain and a sharp pain in my eyebrow. We weren't critically injured - nobody died luckily. We were going at the speed limit but there was no way we'd have been able to stop in time.
"It wasn't what you wanted on Christmas Eve. I tried not to let it affect me too much on Christmas Day. I did my best to ignore it.
But on Christmas Eve I kept reliving the moment. Now it doesn't feel real. I have to go on the A34 to get to work - so that'll be fun when I need to go back."
Pictures from the scene show a smashed-up Lucky Seven taxi - minus one of its wheels.
Lucky Seven is investigating the collision. A spokesman said: "We are aware of the incident and are currently gathering information. We are unable to provide further comment at this time as the incident is under investigation."
Staffordshire Police and West Midlands Ambulance Service attended the crash scene at 10.15am on Christmas Eve. A police spokesman said: "We were called to reports of a two-car collision on Talke Road. The collision involved a blue Toyota Avensis and a black BMW X4.
The driver and passengers in the BMW were assessed by paramedics."
Any witnesses can call Staffordshire Police on 101.
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References
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