Leaping driver escapes lorry crash

A motorist escaped uninjured when he leapt to safety just moments before a lorry ploughed into his car

Published: 4:16pm, 20th September 2011
Updated: 11:21pm, 20th September 2011

A motorist escaped uninjured when he leapt to safety just moments before a lorry ploughed into his car on the hard shoulder.

The man, from Manchester, had stopped to change a tyre next to the A1, near Wetherby, when he turned to see the lorry heading straight for him.

North Yorkshire Police said the driver hurdled over the crash barrier at the side of the motorway just before the vehicle crashed into his car.

The accident happened just after 8.30am on Monday when the man stopped his silver Mazda 323 on the hard shoulder of the northbound A1, just one mile north of junction 46.

The driver was looking for a spare tyre in the boot of his vehicle when he looked over his shoulder to see the red Scania lorry and leapt out of the way.

His car was completely written off in the crash.

Police are appealing to anyone who witnessed the incident to contact them.

Traffic Constable Rob Roberts, of Harrogate Roads Policing Group, said: "The motorist had an extremely lucky escape and fortunately he was uninjured in the incident.

"Something told him to look over his shoulder and if he hadn't, we could have been dealing with an extremely tragic outcome."