The driver of an Astra – an 87-year-old man – ran a red light, struck a van causing it to roll, before hitting the central reservation and crashing into a bin.
These were the dramatic scenes that greeted officers when they were called to a crash involving two vehicles in Cromwell Road, Wisbech, in August last year.
“As officers ran towards the utter carnage in front of them, they were amazed and relieved to find all those involved were out of their vehicles,” said a Police Fenland spokesperson.
“You can imagine their frustration when they discovered the crash was entirely avoidable.
“A trailer attached to the van detached and came to rest on a pedestrian crossing, which thankfully wasn’t in use at the time.
“The driver of the van suffered cuts and bruises and a broken elbow.”
The Astra driver was handed a suspended sentence at Peterborough Magistrates’ court last Wednesday for causing serious injury by dangerous driving.
“He has since voluntarily given up his licence in favour of a bus pass,” said the police spokesperson.
PC Joshua Crown said: “This was a nasty crash, and it could have been much worse.
“There’s no legal age when you must give up driving, you can decide yourself when to stop, but it’s very important to keep yourself and others safe on the road.
“Things like taking longer to process information or predict hazards might be signs that you need to get your driving assessed.”
For more advice on older drivers, visit the dedicated page on the police website -> https://orlo.uk/95GMp
