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Driver seriously injured after car smashes into traffic lights

11:57am Sunday 2nd March 2008

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A MAN is in hospital with serious injuries after his car left the road and smashed through railings and traffic lights.

The silver Volkswagen Golf narrowly missed passers-by and knocked down lamp posts, metal railings and traffic lights in High Street, Shoreham - just yards from the River Adur.

Firefighters from Shoreham and Lancing cut free the driver, believed to be in his mid 20s, after the crash at about 10.35pm on Saturday.

He was taken to Royal Sussex County Hospital with injuries described as serious but not life threatening.

Police closed the road for more than three hours and the Highways Agency were called to fix the street furniture.

Mike Chapman, landlord of the nearby Ferry Inn, said: "I heard an almighty noise and realised there had been a bad crash outside.

"When I got outside there must have been 50 people there already, and most of them were on mobile phones calling for help.

"The car had just demolished one side of the street, it even knocked the traffic lights down."

Police are appealing for witnesses to call them on 0845 6070999.

* Did you see what happened? Leave your comments below or call our news desk on 01273 544543.

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Your Say YourThe Argus

Rob, Brighton says...
1:08pm Sun 2 Mar 08

I hope the driver recovers quickly from his injuries and shock. No doubt the speed bandwagon merchants will be on a roll very soon, but I understand the traffic lights were stationary when the accident happened. Good to know the road furniture will be back in place quickly. I was first at an accident scene once, and when the police arrived, the first thing they said to the injured and very shocked female driver, was "You do know you will have to pay for the damage to the crash barriers?". Beggars belief! But true.

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Flat Foot Soozie, Brunswick Square says...
3:48pm Sun 2 Mar 08

// I understand the traffic lights were stationary//

Yes, they are not in the habit of moving.

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Shami, Brighton says...
4:11pm Sun 2 Mar 08

Although I wasn't there, I believe this was caused by a car crashing. The Argus says the driver was male, the witness says female. Were any bicycles involved?

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Tim, Hove says...
5:08pm Sun 2 Mar 08

What's the speed limit through that bit? Must be 30mph max. Try driving into a traffic light and or barrier at 30mph. It will break your car, not the light. Young driver + Saturday night + demolished street = speeding. Probably on their way to a party in Worthing.....

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Flat Foot Soozie, Brunswick Square says...
5:35pm Sun 2 Mar 08

boo hoo hoo,wahh,people keep using my name,blub blub.im a legend on this forum wahhh

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Luke, says...
6:12pm Sun 2 Mar 08

I was there, It was a young male, he needed cutting out, judging by the devastation he must of been speeding or drunk, I have absolute no sympathy for the driver if this is the case, only for his friends and family who are being put through this ordeal.

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Revd, Shoreham says...
6:23pm Sun 2 Mar 08

Police in Shoreham on a Saturday night? Surely some mistake..

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steve, worthing says...
8:11pm Sun 2 Mar 08

"Road furniture"!!!?? PC speak gone mad.
It's a set of traffic lights and a crash barrier not something you pick up at DFS or MFI in a flatpack and strap to the roof of your car!
"This week we are offering with every Laura Ashley chair a free bus stop! Double points and nothing to pay until 2009".
This renaming of things really is going too far - a friend of mine in the police told me a few years ago that Sussex Police renamed RTA's (Road traffic accidents) as RTC's (Road traffic crashes) as the powers that be said it was always someones fault so how could it be an accident? - Of course all the associated paperwork had to be reprinted and guess who pays - yes YOU?
As for the accident scene - I walked past there this afternoon - he's mounted the kerb, smashed the bottom of his engine off (oil line of about 30-40 feet, sheared off two traffic light poles and wiped out the crash barrier. Al Qaeda couldn't have done a better job with a suicide bomber! If he was doing less than 30 then I'm off to Furniture World to buy a roundabout for my lounge (or is that my communal gathering space?)

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Flat Foot Soozie, Brunswick Square says...
9:13pm Sun 2 Mar 08

steve wrote:
"Road furniture"!!!?? PC speak gone mad.
It's a set of traffic lights and a crash barrier not something you pick up at DFS or MFI in a flatpack and strap to the roof of your car!
"This week we are offering with every Laura Ashley chair a free bus stop! Double points and nothing to pay until 2009".
This renaming of things really is going too far - a friend of mine in the police told me a few years ago that Sussex Police renamed RTA's (Road traffic accidents) as RTC's (Road traffic crashes) as the powers that be said it was always someones fault so how could it be an accident? - Of course all the associated paperwork had to be reprinted and guess who pays - yes YOU?
As for the accident scene - I walked past there this afternoon - he's mounted the kerb, smashed the bottom of his engine off (oil line of about 30-40 feet, sheared off two traffic light poles and wiped out the crash barrier. Al Qaeda couldn't have done a better job with a suicide bomber! If he was doing less than 30 then I'm off to Furniture World to buy a roundabout for my lounge (or is that my communal gathering space?)
Well said, Steve!

Although it should be sitting room, not lounge. Lounge is a room in a public place such as a hotel.

Of course the most popular item of "street furniture" in Brighton is the single bed, of cardboard construction, with a canopy supplied by the owners of a shop
doorway.

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bart simpson, springfield elementary says...
9:31pm Sun 2 Mar 08

nice to see the wit and humour of brighton coming out. of course you are all correct. 10.35pm, vw golf, young man, saturday night, 30mph limit, recipe for disaster

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homer, springfield says...
9:42pm Sun 2 Mar 08

of course the lunatic was speeding, no doubt about it. to do that much damage and need cutting out is serious speed. no sympathy for him at all. feel sorry for his family though

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Tim Fusciardi, Shoreham Beach says...
10:23pm Sun 2 Mar 08

I was in the Crown and Anchor when a friend having a quick smoke told me about it. That is one heck of a speed he must have been doing judging by the cars state and how many small traffic light bits were scattered down the high street. How on earth did no one else get hurt!
On a slightly selfish note, I walked past the area today to find the traffic lights out of action and bits still scattered on the pavement. I live on shoreham beach and have to get a train to work... its gonna take ages to cross that road now without traffic lights. my boss is gonna think im taking the mick when i say why I was late but its gonna make a few people very late tomorrow! please fix it quick or employ a lollypop man/lady to help!

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jah, shoreham says...
8:54am Mon 3 Mar 08

@Steve, not road furniture, street funiture. A term used in transport and environment since the first seat adorned our streets. There is no excuse for ignorance Steve

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JAH IS A ****., JAH'S NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOUR says...
9:13am Mon 3 Mar 08

jah wrote:
@Steve, not road furniture, street funiture. A term used in transport and environment since the first seat adorned our streets. There is no excuse for ignorance Steve
WTF - WHO CARES


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Noige, Brighton says...
9:24am Mon 3 Mar 08

......blimey, what side of the bed did YOU get out of ths morning...??

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Flat Foot Soozie, Brunswick Square says...
3:18pm Mon 3 Mar 08

Oh come on last flat foot. You know I would never use all lower case for my name.

Oh Argus - when will you introduce registration so you can get rid of these awful people.

Up the Arsenal, goodnight

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Dave, At home says...
3:40pm Mon 3 Mar 08

Did the driver also do the street furniture at the Holmbush roundabout?

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Fat Fart Floozie, Brunswick Square says...
7:24pm Mon 3 Mar 08

you and ruf t are the same person ...
so sod off with your mate

Zeb, make up your mind, is it 1 person or 2?

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Dave, Brighton says...
10:15pm Tue 4 Mar 08

Car drivers are a menace to everyone.
Anyone of them involved in such an incident should permantly lose their licence.

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andy, Southwick says...
8:49am Fri 7 Mar 08

I know the driver, and am sorry to say he was well over the limit, but recovering well from injuries. Im sure he will be penalized accurately in the courts.

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