Beaconsfield man, 81, on experiencing his first car cash

John Evans, who lives in Howe Drive in the town, was driving back from Cheltenham after he watched and celebrated Wycombe Wanderers secure a 3-1 victory against the West Country-based team on February 3.

Upon entering the Buckinghamshire town at around 7pm that night, he decided to head towards New Town to ‘get some Chinese food’, but struck a kerb along London End in Old Town.

The incident, which lasted for ‘two to three seconds’, saw the airbags deployed, leaving John feeling shaken.’

Both police and paramedics were called to the scene.

John poses with his hire car two days after the crash in Beaconsfield (Image: NQ)

He said: “I’m going along London End where there is a pedestrian crossing and a raised kerb on the driver’s side.

“I honestly didn’t see it as it’s very dark.

“I was going at around 10mph when I hit the kerb.

“Two or three seconds at the most is how long it happened before the car came to a shuddering halt and the airbags came on.

“I couldn’t believe what happened as this is the first time I’ve had an accident.

“I don’t know if I’m lucky or unlucky because I had gone all that time without having an accident, or not knowing what to do in the aftermath of an accident.

The incident happened along the London End in Beaconsfield on February 3 (Image: NQ)

“But I must say, the people who helped me were brilliant as one person came out of a nearby restaurant, whilst another came from a flat she’s living in.

“Physically, I feel fine but I feel psychologically damaged.

“I felt so stupid as I had driven all that way to Cheltenham without an incident, and this happens.”

The former lawyer and referee now wants to improve the lighting along London End so that other motorists can avoid hitting the kerbs.

Lampposts are visible along the street, but many are on raised bricks in the middle of the road.

One of the bases has since been damaged after John’s car collided with the concrete on Saturday evening.

He continued: “Of course, some blame is attached to me as I didn’t see it (the kerb).

“But having said that, when one of the people who helped me say that this happens all the time, I couldn’t believe it.

“Apparently, nothing has been done for years.

“It’s scandalous.

“They need more lights.”

His wife, Judith, who turns 80 years old this month, said that her husband looked ‘shocked’ following the incident.

Thames Valley Police said: “We don’t answer enquiries about road traffic collisions unless the enquiry is about a press release we have published or the RTC is causing significant traffic issues.

“Instead, our Joint Roads Policing Unit and control rooms will post messages on social media to inform the public about collisions that are disrupting traffic.”

John's car has been described as a 'write-off', and has been given a hire vehicle instead.

Steven Broadbent, Cabinet Member for Transport said: “Streetlighting is regularly inspected across the county and any issues logged for attention.

"The Belisha beacons at this location are working properly though there is a programme of work planned for upgrading Belisha beacons across the county in coming months and the ones on this crossing will be upgraded as part of this programme.”