A victim of a car crash caused by the gaps on the A64 today made a powerful plea to highways chiefs: "Close the gaps before more people suffer our fate."

Karen Whitehead, right, with her mother, Maureen Jackson and daughter Gemma, who were all involved in a crash on the A64, near Bilbrough Top

Picture: David Harrison

York mother Karen Whitehead and four members of her family narrowly escaped with their lives when her car collided with another on the A64.

"The gaps were the cause of our accident. We could have been killed," she said.

Mrs Whitehead was driving her mother, her niece and her daughter from York to Tadcaster along the A64 when she rounded the bend at Bilbrough Top and saw a car blocking her path.

The car was using the gap in the central reservation to cross from the eastbound carriageway to a restaurant on the other side.

With no time to manoeuvre or even brake, her car collided with the other vehicle at a speed of around 55mph.

Mrs Whitehead, 36, who is one of dozens of readers who have so far added their voices to our Close the Gaps campaign, crushed a bone in her back, broke a toe and her nose and spent ten days in hospital.

Her mother, Maureen Jackson, 62, broke a collar bone and a wrist. She spent 14 days in hospital.

Three-year-old niece Amelia Horner suffered damage to her back, and was in hospital for four days.

Mrs Whitehead's daughter Gemma, who was ten at the time, received bruises to her chest and has since suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder after witnessing the carnage. She still visits a psychologist.

"I thought we were going to die," said Mrs Whitehead, of Huntington Road, York,

"There was no way for me to avoid the car, and even if I had had time to swerve, there was nowhere to swerve to.

"I feel we are very lucky to still be here, but how many more people have to be hurt there before the authorities pay attention?"

The family is still living with the after-effects of the crash which nearly claimed their lives in January, 1998.

Mrs Whitehead had to give up her job as a bank clerk after the accident and she is still on painkillers for the damage caused to her back. Her mother, who lives in Haxby Road, had to retire from her job as a home help because of her injuries.

And Gemma still has a fear of hospitals and is nervous about getting into cars.

"She saw it all and knows exactly what happened - she thought she had lost us all," said Mrs Whitehead.

"She had nightmares for a year and wouldn't let me out of her sight."

Mrs Whitehead said she attributed the cause of her crash solely to the gaps in the road, which were the site of two fatal accidents last year alone.

"I still just can't understand why those gaps have to be there," she said.

Have you been involved in an accident at the gap? Call Mike Laycock on York 567132.

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