Driver's flawless test after crash (From Bucks Free Press)

Driver's flawless test after crash

10:15am Wednesday 25th June 2008 in

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A YOUNGSTER passed his driving test - despite a collision with another car.

Nervous Gareth Purslow, 20, thought he had blown his first shot at passing the test when a car struck his offside rear wheel arch.

But he said his examiner told him he could continue the test.

Bucks New University student Gareth, of Marigold Walk, Widmer End, said he was determined to succeed in memory of his late father, Malcolm.

His driving instructor and Star motoring columnist Audrey Wixon, of Wycombe Driving School, said: "I think only about one in 15,000 test candidates pass with a clean sheet and I would imagine the odds of crashing on your driving test are pretty small too.

"So the odds on doing both must be miniscule."

The accident happened when Gareth was driving along Littleworth Road in Downley.

He said: "The instructor got out the car and told me to stay calm. I was quite jittery, especially as it was my test. I thought 'that's a hundred quid gone'."

But after swapping insurance details Gareth was given the chance to continue.

He said: "I thought I had lost it, I thought they would take the car away and terminate the test. I kept calm and decided to carry on.

"I was shocked when I was told I had no minors - I did four manoeuvres and a reverse bay park at the end."

Gareth said his father, who died in December from a heart attack aged 54, was keen for him to pass - and this inspired him to hold his nerve.

The business and marketing student said: "I think he was with me on my test."