A 57-year-old man from Essen escaped death on Sunday evening when he collided head-on with a car near Roosendaal, which was driving on the wrong side of the road. He has now been released from the hospital and is slowly recovering from the shock. “We especially sympathize with those girls now.”
Chest pain, that’s really the only physical discomfort the Essenaar has suffered from the blow. “My sternum is badly bruised, so that takes some time. And mentally I am also very calm about it. Although you never know how you will react to it in a while, if you experience something similar in the car.”
In the meantime, the Belgian ‘just’ left for the holiday park with his wife and youngest son, where they had already booked. “Nice to relax. Although it will be less active than we had planned in advance.”
Logical, because when you see the photo of the accident, it is a miracle that he got out of the car himself. “At the moment after the crash I was very angry. I have to admit that I cursed quite a bit there. But I calmed down pretty quickly and wanted to help the girls in the other car.”
Those two young women came back after a night of carnival. On the Antwerpseweg (N262) they would have been swinging for quite some time before they collided right at the Belgian’s car. Police said the driver had not been drinking. Cylinders with nitrous oxide were found, but research has yet to show whether the women were under the influence.
More than two days after the accident, the Essenaar and his wife are mainly thinking about the girls. “We have no idea how they are doing. We did see the wreckage of the cars yesterday and it would be a miracle if you got out unscathed,” says the wife emotionally.
One thing, she says, is certain: “It was a very expensive lesson. Of course, they were acting irresponsibly. But that one second might determine the rest of their lives. While they really didn’t get into that car with the idea of accident cause. “
The couple is touched that many people on social media are less forgiving. “Those reactions are so harsh. I really have a hard time with that. Those girls also have parents, brothers, sisters. Think about that before you post something.”