The risks associated with driving in icy, snowy conditions were once again highlighted recently, after a woman lost control of her car and ended up hanging over a 30ft precipice.
The woman, whose story was told in The Examiner and Daily Mirror, was only wearing pyjamas and boots when the incident took place on the A62 Standedge Cutting between Marsden and Oldham.
The 26 year old had just dropped her partner at work and was returning home when she encountered snow and ice on the road, before losing control of her Citroen Picasso.
The car spun around by almost 360 degrees on the other side of the road before coming to a standstill at the edge of an escarpment, with the front portion of the car hanging over the edge.
The woman, who did not wish to be named, said: “It was like a scene from a movie and it all happened in slow motion. All I could think of was the car was going over the edge. I just undid my seatbelt and jumped.”
After snatching her pet from the rear seat, the woman exited the car, and was forced to stand out in freezing conditions.
She dialled 999 and the police were sent out to her location.
Several vehicles passed her without stopping until a Tesco lorry spotted her, braked and reversed to check her condition.
“I have a digital speedometer and I had just glanced at my speed and I was doing 32mph," the woman added.
She said the incident was no-one's fault although she suggested the road may not have been gritted to a very high standard.
She said she wanted the incident to serve as a warning to others to take care in such conditions.
The report did not mention the role of vehicle recovery operators in the incident, although they no doubt played an essential part in retrieving the vehicle.
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