Lucky escape as car overturns

astra.jpgA driver and passenger had an amazing escape when a car overturned on a narrow Black Country street today causing damage to five parked cars.

The men, both estimated to be in their 20s, had freed themselves from the wreckage by the time ambulance crews arrived.

They were assessed at the scene but left after refusing hospital treatment. No-one else was injured but five parked cars in the street were damaged.

The road was also closed off for two hours during busy morning rush hour as emergency crews cleared the scene.

When crews arrived the overturned car’s front was right up against a Ford Fiesta. It had also collided with a pink and white Vauxhall Corsa and a Smart car.

The Smart car suffered damage to the front offside corner. The crash also created a ‘domino’ effect, shunting it backwards into a Fiat Punto, which in turn went into a Saab 93.

Traffic steadily built up around Stourbridge Road and Pensnett Road as the street closure took effect.

John Street is regularly used by motorists as a shortcut to get onto either of the main roads.

Residents today said an accident had been waiting to happen. One, who did not wish to be named, said: “Very few of us have drives so there are always a lot of cars parked on the road.

“It is a narrow street anyway but so many people use it as a cut-through it can sometimes get totally blocked.

“We don’t know exactly how the car came to overturn but it is the residents who are now picking up the pieces.”

West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman Murray Macgregor said crews were called to John Street just after 7.15am this morning.

A rapid response vehicle arrived within four minutes backed up by an ambulance and an officer. Incident Support Officer Dave Ashford said: “There were two men estimated to be in their 20s in the Astra.”

18 Comments

  1. Dave Philips said:

    Lucky escape?

    And exactly what speed were they travelling to make a car overturn!

    Report abuse

  2. steve,walsall said:

    Exactly dave what speed. Again young driver’s. I think its about time that young drivers had there cars limited to 40mph by a recommended body through the d.v.l.a after passing there car test,then a retest at the age of 25 before the car is unrestricted.

    Report abuse

  3. Charles Haig said:

    I agree with the others.But was drinking involved.The driver should be re-trained.He could have killed someone, if not them selves.

    Report abuse

  4. Wolfie said:

    Ok Steve, so you think you become a good driver by the age of 25 do you?

    Its not about speed on the whole, its about awareness, its about reading the road ahead, and most people cannot, from my own extensive experience of driving it tends to be the older drivers, 30+ who havnt a clue and cause accidents.

    Yes, speed does play a part, but its not just young people. You’ve taken the typical route of blaming young drivers when most of us “young drivers” are ten times better than those who are older and think they know best.

    You’d do well not to generalise in future on this issue or any other.

    Report abuse

  5. Karl said:

    Young people drive too fast, old people drive to slowly. Both are a danger on the roads and push up the insurance premiums for the rest of us. They left after refusing hospital treatment? And went where…? Probably two yobs in a car that wasn’t theirs, with no insurance.

    Report abuse

  6. P said:

    AHH CALM DOWN! Steve your having a laugh mate. OLD people are the worse culprits. Stop blaming the young drivers.

    Report abuse

  7. mark dudley said:

    The car was obviously travelling at a high speed they have had a escape but 5 people have have their cars damaged however minor it is a disruption to them . This again is another result of the speeding boy racer syndrome we residents local to the Merry Hill have to put up with and what are the Police doing about it? “NOTHING” …They know it goes on its about time the racing around the merry hill was stopped before some one innocent is hurt or killed……

    Report abuse

  8. mike l said:

    how the hell can one overturn a car in a Wolverhampton street, during rush hour!!

    you would be lucky to do 30mph!

    i am not a black country native and find these accidents quite amusing.

    i must give it a go tonight when i leave my office.

    Report abuse

  9. Karen said:

    Wonder if they will be tested for drugs? I feel sorry for the injured parties, ie. the other car owners. Sue these guys for every last penny and jail them for dangerous driving.

    Report abuse

  10. Leigh Devine said:

    Steve, Young drivers? How can you possibly say that without knowing the drivers? Would it be acceptable if the drivers were in their 50s? Pensioners can have accidents too you know. The amount of people I see on a daily basis who took their test forty years ago, who have no idea how roundabouts work, who feel doing 30mph in 60mph zone is acceptable and hogging the middle lane of the motorway is shocking. The vast majority of them will be just like yourself. Looking down their nose at younger drivers who face a much, much harder test in order to become a driver.

    Report abuse

  11. steve,walsall said:

    Well for those of you who feel ive said wrong i would go away and do some home work!,for one if you read the papers a majority or shall we say 85% of drivers killed are young drivers,besides the point the goverment are already spearheading new test’s. So can anyone tell me then why these young drivers have to have suped up car’s body kit’s nice alloy wheel’s booming music,and talking on mobile phones while driving? Easy!it’s all to impress and show off hence no concerntration i.e accidant happens.i wonder how many would have the guts to challenge me in a mototcross race,lets see how fast you can go then!!!!

    Report abuse

  12. Dominic said:

    Speed doesn’t kill, stupidity does. And Stupidity isn’t ageist. The same said silly person who isnt allowed to operate a power tool eg nail gun. can then get up and drive away in his/her car.

    Report abuse

  13. Leigh Devine said:

    Home work? What about common sense? I suggest you take a long look at your own driving style.

    Report abuse

  14. Karl said:

    “Would it be acceptable if the drivers were in their 50s?”

    Well, probably not Leigh no. But then again, drivers in their 50’s aren’t very likely to overturn a car on street in wolverhampton are they. The speeds to accomplish this would be excessive. And as you point out, the amount of people of that age group that YOU see doing 30mph in a 60mph, if they did overturn a car in these circumstance, it would probably be a freak act of God.

    Report abuse

  15. Leigh Devine said:

    Karl, so what you’re suggesting is that as soon as a person reaches a certain age, they become a good driver.

    Brilliant. Considering the tests these people took. It takes a lot to mess up at an island… I see the majority of older people who have no clue what to do. Then again, these people did take their tests generations ago and standards, thankfully, have improved.

    Report abuse

  16. Breeze said:

    The smart car was probably over laden!..Must have had a box of eggs in its side pocket!..warning here to car makers..make sensible stable cars!!

    Report abuse

  17. jaffa said:

    steve you dont knoe what your talking about, you dont see any young drivers driving through petrol stations?

    old drivers dont have accidents because they cause most of them due to their lack of awareness and dangerous driving.

    i am 21 and have beed driving for 4 years, i drive a fast car and am still alive!!!!!!!!

    this accident is just a person who cant drive

    Report abuse

  18. david said:

    The car that is not upside down in the picture is mine. The street is in Brierley Hill and Not in Wolverhampton.

    This car landed right out side my house ( if my car was not parked where it was then car would have landed in my front garden )My car was smashed up and my wifes car ( the fiat ) was also smashed both ends, new back bumper ,new front bumper , front lights , bonnet and re-spray needed.

    Im glade you find these stories amusing ( mike ) . Hope nothing like this happens down your street.

    And if you are going to try and drive as fast as you can when you leave the office, do it down your own street and not mine !

    Report abuse