LOCATION EVERYTHING FOR UNLUCKY LUCKY DRIVER
AN off-duty paramedic has described the moment a young driver’s car got airborne during a terrifying crash yesterday.
The woman, in her 20s, was lucky not to be seriously hurt when her car flipped in front of a training facility for paramedics on West Burleigh Rd, Burleigh Heads about 11am.
The red hatchback was “completely airborne” after spinning out of control, witnesses said.
“It was like an action movie, it was phenomenal,” Australian Paramedical College manager Kristian Hughes said.
Police are investigating why the car left the road.
The woman was unconscious when rescuers got to her.
The first person on the scene was a paramedic with more than 20 years experience, head trainer Luke Trevethan, who was working at the college when he heard the accident.
“The car was rolling and spinning in the air,” he said.
Mr Trevethan said it was a miracle the driver survived.
“She hit a small tree but behind that was a large tree that would have split the car in half — she just missed it,” he said.
“If the small tree hadn’t been there she would have gone head-on into the big tree ... and she would have been dead.
“When we got there turned the car off, made sure there was no petrol leaking and myself and another lady pulled her out and did a primary and secondary survey on her.
“She came to while I was there but she was unconscious for a while.”
The driver was taken to Gold Coast University Hospital in a stable condition.
Staff from the college directed traffic as they waited for emergency services to arrive.
While Mr Trevethan was humble about his efforts, his workmates are convinced his presence could have saved the woman’s life.
“She was lucky,” Mr Hughes said. “She had a paramedic right on site — seconds are critical. If it had been a life-and-death situation Luke would have made the clear difference.”