Hurtling wrong way down M40.. caravan death driver
Three killed in smash after 5-mile terror
CARS swerve desperately to avoid a speeding 4x4 towing a caravan the wrong way down a motorway – moments before a horrific head-on smash that killed three.
The chilling dashcam footage shows terrified drivers narrowly avoiding collisions yesterday as they swing into the middle lane and central reservation.
The Subaru Forester was said to be doing “at least 70mph” in the outside lane on the northbound carriageway of the M40.
Its run lasted five miles, from junctions eight to six – where it hit two other cars in Lewknor, Oxon. A man in his 30s in a Ford Mondeo was killed along with the driver and a passenger in the Subaru, both in their 80s.
The footage was from “moments before” the crash, said Alex Varga, who posted it. West Oxfordshire councillor Colin Dingwall, who dodged the Subaru, said it had “foreign plates”. He added: “I’ve seen a lot in 50 years on the road but never a caravan coming the wrong way up the M40.”
Driver Lucy Townson said: “This caravan came hurtling towards me going the wrong
Junction 8
The Oxford Belfry Junction 7 way in the fast lane. Just managed to get out of its way... scary stuff. Other people don’t appear to have been so lucky.”
Other drivers also told of their terror along the route.
Sonia Thomson, of Staffordshire, said the Subaru was going fast, adding: “It was almost past Lewknor Junction 6 me in the blink of an eye. Someone must have been looking after me because 10 to 20 seconds later and that could have been me.”
Sam Barton said: “Cars swerving all over but they carried on in a straight line as if all the other vehicles were Police & fire crews with wrecks on northbound carriageway wrong. Shame we’ll never know because my mind boggles.”
Liz Hindmarsh said her husband had to swerve into the middle lane otherwise he would have been hit. And Oliver Hayes added: “We also had to swerve, seemed at least 70mph driving head-on in our lane.”
Andy Jardine, of Oundle, Northants, witnessed the aftermath. He said: “It was as bad as you could get. Complete wreck.”
Melissa Trewin said: “One person said they saw them driving at 70mph from J8. They reported to police and police said loads had reported too, yet they carried on to J7-6.”
Thames Valley Police is investigating. Meanwhile, the force confirmed a separate smash on the M40 northbound yesterday, two junctions up from the Subaru, that left a woman with life-threatening injuries.