Two women ‘lucky to be alive’ after head-on A24 crash call for law change

And now they want to help others.

Lucy Wyles and her boyfriend’s mum Annie Rance were on their way home from a shopping trip when they were confronted by a car coming towards them on the wrong side of the A24 dual carriageway.

Both nearly died in the crash that followed - and now want to make sure that no-one else undergoes a similar ordeal.

“We want to save other lives.”

Lucy said: “The police later told us that the man in the other car had dementia.”

The pair - who are still recovering from their severe injuries - are now campaigning for it to be a legal requirement for GPs to notify the DVLA if a patient is diagnosed with the condition.

The accident happened just days before Christmas as they couple were driving home on the A24 to Storrington.

“We were on our way back from Tesco’s after doing some Christmas shopping,” said Lucy, 22.

“I really don’t remember much of the crash but Annie was awake through it all.”

“I just remember seeing a flash and then it was, like, ‘bang’,” said Annie, 54.

“We came round a slight bend in the road. We didn’t have a chance really.

“I was awake through it all. I smelt burning from the airbag and I panicked because I couldn’t get any response from Lucy.

“I didn’t even know if she was alive.”

Annie managed to stagger out of the car while Lucy had to be cut free by firefighters.

They were both rushed to the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton for emergency surgery.

Annie had internal bleeding from a perforated bowel, a fractured arm, hand injury and chest and back injuries.

She was in hospital for two weeks.

Meanwhile, Lucy - who was knocked out completely from the airbag - had facial damage, a dislocated pelvis and a severely shattered elbow among multiple other injuries.

“Luckily the surgeon that I had managed to save my arm,” she said, adding: “I cannot thank the staff and doctors that work at Brighton hospital enough.

“They have honestly saved my life. I was in hospital for three weeks, the main things that kept me going was the support from family and friends as well as my amazing boyfriend, Jason.”

She added: “This has changed my life as well as my boyfriend’s mum’s life massively and we want everyone to stay safe on the roads.”

Neither has been able to return to work since the crash happened and both are now focusing on a petition launched to change the law regarding GPs reporting patients’ conditions which could impair their ability to drive.

To sign the petition, see https://bit.ly/3of8tB