Crash

A week ago, I had my first big car crash, after 33 years of driving. I’d been working in Witham, covering another store for the day, and was driving home when a blue van pulled out of a side road and didn’t stop, hitting me on the front passenger side. Airbags went off and I was shunted sideways.

As I tried to work out what the hell had happened, I looked in the rear view mirror and saw the van pulling behind me. I thought they were going to pull over, but they kept on going instead, with half their bumper hanging off the front.

Several people stopped to check on me, including a Sainsbury’s delivery van who hopefully had dash cam footage. Other people helped push the car into the side road, while I worked out what to do. None of this was helped by the fact that my phone was out of charge! I managed to get a text off to my wife, telling her where I was and what had happened, but that was it. Luckily there was a Spar nearby and the wonderful staff allowed me to use their phone and plugged my phone in to charge too.

I phoned the police on 999, but they told me to basically log it all online, as the car wasn’t blocking the main road. Luckily an off duty policeman was passing and called it in to Essex Police, who arrived pretty quickly and took charge. They took details from me, and also breathalysed me (another first) as routine.

My wife arrived shortly with my daughter, who got to sit in the police car which thrilled her! The police were brilliant, sorting everything out and moving the car out of the junction which it was still blocking. They arranged for recovery, and kept asking if I was OK, and if I needed to go to hospital. I didn’t as I felt mostly alright, aside from sore ribs.

Once I got home, I logged the details with my insurance company, and wondered what would happen next…

Luckily I was off work last Thursday, but I had to get the bus to work the following day. Thankfully, the insurance company arranged a courtesy car to be delivered later that day, so I’m mobile again for the moment.

I’m due to speak to the insurance engineer on Monday, but I think they’re going to write off the car. My ribs are still very sore, especially when I sit down, or lie down, or cough, or burp, but I think they’re getting better…