DRAMATIC video shows the moment an emergency vehicle on a 999 call appears to jump a red light and is hit by another car.
The white emergency vehicle has a siren and a small blue “magnetic” light attached to the top, which flies off as a result of the impact.
A woman in the car from which the incident was filmed gasps in shock as the sound of the impact can be heard.
Despite both cars ending up smoking wrecks, it is understood there were no serious injuries as a result of the high-speed crash in Sutton, London, on Friday.
Jay Ka, from London, was waiting at a red light in Sutton Common Road when the accident was captured on his dashcam.
He mistakenly captioned the clip: “Unmarked police car collided with black car. Luckily policeman in white car and woman in the black car did not seem to have any visible injury.”
At the start of the clip, the sound of an emergency vehicle approaching can be heard.
Two cars waiting to turn right move out of the way and it appears that the emergency vehicle passes the red without significantly slowing down.
A black car emerges from the right and hits the emergency response car in the side, violently swinging the vehicle to the side.
Jay’s passenger can be heard gasping and says: “Oh, oh my God.”
The driver of the black car gets out as other road users make their way over to check on the casualties.
As Jay drives away, the damage to the emergency vehicle is clearly visible with the bumper totally ripped off and the wheel knocked in. The black car’s bonnet is wrecked and is resting on one of the set of traffic lights.
Rob Price wrote under the Jay’s post: “People are driving around oblivious to what is happening on the roads and always should be prepared for something to happen at a road junction even if your on green. Anticipation of all times.”
Viewers of the clip believing it was a police vehicle, due to the incorrect information were shocked by the clip.
Bob Adam said: “Having driven police cars in the past I can say that the cops are to blame here.
“Driving with the blues and twos on does not mean you are invincible and you have to take care. Also if there are charges to be brought the cop’s licence could recieve points.
Raymond Hancox said: “Oops. Pretty sure the police would be at fault though. Even on blue lights the rules apply they just are permitted to go through.
“But if you are involved in an accident on blue lights going through a red it’s their fault. Good no one was hurt though.”
A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police said: “Police were called at approximately 08:10hrs on Friday, 25 January to reports of two cars in collision on Sutton Common Road at the junction with Reigate Avenue, Sutton.
“No reports of any serious injuries. Enquiries into the circumstances continue. There were no police vehicles involved in this collision.”
Although the emergency vehicle in this case did not belong to the police it was revealed last year that UK police forces are writing off more than one vehicle every 24 hours, costing the taxpayer an estimated £6.5m a year.
Police lost 480 cars worth £3m. However, a further £3.5m was added to the bill in compensation for injury and other costs suffered by the public.
The Metropolitan Police, the UK’s largest force, ran up a bill of £513,000 for written-off vehicles that year.
ENDS
