A23 crash horror: '˜I keep getting really nasty flashbacks' says victim

Kerry Lavington, of Gossops Green, Crawley, said she was crossing the A23 Crawley Avenue when she was involved in a collision with a silver Honda Civic close to the junction with Gossops Drive.

The 45-year-old suffers from spondylosis of the spine a condition which means she uses a mobility scooter to get around. She said the force of the crash threw her out of her scooter, leaving her with multiple injuries which had left her housebound and meant she had currently lost the use of her right arm.

She said: “I keep getting really nasty flashbacks. One minute I am okay the next minute I keep crying. I just keep hearing the noise of the car and the crash and the car hitting me.”

Kerry was on her way back from a Slimming World meeting in West Green when the crash took place on Thursday December 27.

She said she got to the crossing leading from Goffs Park to Gossops Drive and waited for the ‘green man’.

As she crossed, the Honda sent her tumbling out of her scooter and onto the tarmac. Kerry explained she then dragged herself out of the road - without the use of the right side of her body - and onto a side verge.

She said: “My scooter was on its side facing Goffs Park but I was actually going to Gossops Green. The police said if I had been a foot further out in the road I would have been killed.”

The Honda drove off but many other vehicles stopped to help Kerry, with both the police and paramedics called to the scene.

“The response was incredible,” she said. “I can’t thank everybody enough.”

The scooter has now been written off, leaving Kerry housebound and the crash also meant Kerry missed out on her New Year’s party.

“I just feel I’m lost, but I’m lucky and I’m grateful for being here,” she added.

Police said officers were investigating the incident.

A spokesman said: “Police are appealing for witnesses to a collision between a silver Honda Civic and an electric mobility scooter in Crawley. The Honda failed to stop at the scene and continued northbound towards the Ifield roundabout.

“The collision happened as the rider of the scooter was crossing the A23 Crawley Avenue at the junction with Gossops Drive at 4.30pm on Thursday (December 27). The 45-year-old woman who was on the scooter was taken to the East Surrey Hospital at Redhill for treatment to a minor neck injury.

“Anyone who witnessed the incident or indeed, the driver of the Honda itself, who has not yet spoken to police is asked to report online or call 101 quoting serial 725 of 27/12.”