26/08/2026
Just after midnight, on my way home from a night shift, I was driving down a pitch-black dual carriageway in the pouring rain.
In the distance, I could just make out a few faint brake lights and hazards.
As I got closer, it was clear there had been a serious RTC involving several vehicles, including a coach. I must have just missed it happen by seconds.
I put my beacons on, blocked lane one, and asked a lorry driver alongside me to block lane two with his wagon so we could stop anyone else driving straight into the scene.
Then I ran up to the cars.
The Vauxhall Adam had taken the worst of it. The driver was already out and screaming, but the passenger was still inside. The car was smoking badly, so my first thought was to make the vehicle safe and get everyone away from it.
I had to force the passenger door open, get her out, switch the ignition off and pull the keys. I then checked the other vehicles, made sure they were safe, and checked on the other people involved.
I stayed with the injured driver, kept her still, gave her my jacket and stayed with her until the emergency services arrived.
Once the police and fire service got there, I helped close the road and stayed on scene assisting where I could, including with the recovery operation.
One thing that genuinely surprised me was that an ambulance never actually made it to the scene. In the end, the police took the injured woman to hospital themselves.
I’m not posting this looking for praise. It was just one of those moments that reminds you how quickly an ordinary drive home can turn into something completely different, and also how many crashes seem to be happening all around the UK lately.
Sometimes all it takes is someone stopping, staying calm and doing what they can until help arrives.
Massive respect to the police, fire crews, recovery teams and the lorry driver who helped me secure the road.
Hopefully everyone involved makes a full recovery.
Stay safe out there everyone!
