A one-legged motorist cut power to traffic lights outside an ambulance station.
The man smashed into lights in his Ford Escort last night before leaving the scene on crutches.
Paramedics at Hove ambulance station normally switch the lights to red as they leave on emergency calls.
Today, drivers were taking extra care while engineers repaired the signals.
The crash happened just after 9pm near the Leighton Road ambulance station, off Old Shoreham Road, Hove.
Firefighters made the wrecked car safe and police searched the area but there was no sign of the motorist.
A force spokesman said: "It is possible he was injured and I would urge him to seek medical help."
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