Crash helpers sought
Strangers thanked after helping in hour of need
IN THE split second after Clare Nott was struck by a wayward driver she went into shock.
The force of the collision at the corner of Herries and Ruthven Sts, on July 10, sent her car sideways and triggered its air bags.
Ms Nott was dazed and confused until she heard the soft voice of a stranger who reached into her car to ask if she was okay.
“This young girl popped into the seat beside me and held my left hand,” Ms Nott said.
Within a few moments, a small group of strangers gathered around Ms Nott and offered first aid until paramedics arrived. Now she wants to thank them for that kindness.
“When I got hit, all the air bags exploded, filling the cabin with smoke,” Ms Nott said.
“I did not know what had happened, then this young fellow came to the passenger side door and asked how I was.
“He quickly suggested I turn the car off and he pulled the handbrake on to make it safe.
“Than an off-duty nurse knelt on the ground and held my other hand.”
Ms Nott suffered a concussion and suspected broken ribs.
A Toowoomba Police spokesman said the crash had been caused by a driver who ran a red light and was later served a traffic infringement notice.
The paramedics were on scene in a flash, and Ms Nott was whisked away to spend a night in hospital.
The Brisbane woman is in the process of moving to Toowoomba and a crash might have caused some people to think twice about such a move. But Ms Nott felt the opposite. Having so many strangers offer kinds words during her time of trouble convinced Ms Nott that Toowoomba would make a good home.
“To experience that in the community that I am coming to, I feel very reassured,” she said.
“It made a huge difference for how I felt.
“To have someone open that door and ask, ‘Are you alright?’ and give me an instruction brought me back in to reality.”
Ms Nott tracked down some the people who helped in the crash aftermath, including the paramedics and tow truck drivers. She is keen to thank those she cannot find.
“They were so calm, so genuine, they were quite confident,” Ms Nott said.
‘‘ TO EXPERIENCE THAT IN THE COMMUNITY THAT I AM COMING TO, I FEEL VERY REASSURED. CLARE NOTT