THE victim of a recent road traffic collision has spoken of his frustration after a life-changing head-on crash in Dunlewey last month.
Speaking to the Donegal News, Kevin Hyde told of the sense of injustice he feels, not just from the collision itself, but from the way the legal system handled the aftermath.
He has been battling not only physical pain and anxiety but also a deep sense of anger at the lenient punishment given to the driver responsible.
Kevin who lives in Creeslough, first moved to Donegal from Edinburgh over 30 years ago.
On February 17 he was returning home from work when the terrifying collision occurred.
He was driving through Dunlewey, past what is described as the peak of the road, not long after the car park at the foot of Errigal.
As he drove along the final blind bend of the stretch, Kevin recalled the stream of traffic passing him, returning home from Letterkenny.
With a shaky voice, he described what happened next: “I drove around the bend and saw a car coming toward me on the wrong side of the road,” he said.
“I let out a few expletives and shouted, ‘What the F is going on?’”
In a split second, Kevin quickly weighed up his options.
“I couldn’t turn that way because there were cars, and I couldn’t go the other way because there was a deep sheugh,” he said.
Before he knew it, the other car collided straight into him, destroying both vehicles.
He described how the airbag deployed and dust filled the air.
“I thought the car was going to catch fire, so I tried to get out,” he said.
However, as his car had landed deep in the ditch, the driver’s side was facing the sky, making it hard to escape.
Kevin spoke of the aftermath, detailing how kind people rushed to help him, followed by the arrival of the fire brigade and two ambulances. The road was closed for two hours as emergency services dealt with the crash.
“Luckily, I wasn’t seriously physically injured, but I am a nervous wreck,” he said.
Both Kevin and the other driver were transferred to Letterkenny University Hospital. Kevin was discharged after seven hours spent in the emergency department where he underwent a series of tests including x-rays and ECGs.
Two days later, he went to see his GP, complaining of pain and suffering from flashbacks and anxiety.
“I can fall asleep, but I keep waking up with flashbacks. I am in bits,” he said.
He was prescribed heavy painkillers and sleeping tablets.
“I can control the pain with the painkillers, but every blind corner I approach, my brakes go on, and I nearly slow to a stop. Drivers behind me get frustrated,” he added.
Kevin spoke about his frustration with the legal system and the leniency of the sentence handed down.
A retired architectural consultant, Kevin is no stranger to the courts, having worked as an expert witness in the past.
He sat for hours in Letterkenny District Court last Monday, waiting for the case to be heard. He listened as the judge processed a litany of cases.
When it came to the case against the other driver in the collisoin, he wanted the chance to testify but much to his frustration, he was not given the opportunity.
The case was heard and the other driver was charged with dangerous driving, resulting in a two-year driving disqualification and a €150 fine.
Kevin said he is appalled by the leniency of the sentence.
“He got €150 for destroying two cars and putting both of us in hospital,” Kevin said.
“I thought this can’t be right – €150 is only €50 more than a previous case where a driver had no insurance.”
“He could easily have killed me or left me paraplegic,” Kevin stressed.
He also pointed to the fact that the fine for not having a TV license can be €1,000 which he said further highlights the leniency.
Kevin also pointed out that the two-year driving disqualification only applies in Ireland and will have no effect on the other driver, who lives in Slovenia.
He went on to say he felt badly treated, not just by the driver, but by the system that is meant to protect him.
“This is a ludicrous situation…The whole system is so chaotic.”
Kevin expressed concern over the broader implications of the case, calling for the sentence to be appealed.
He believes the driver should have been charged with dangerous driving causing death or serious bodily harm, as he himself suffered serious injuries.
Kevin Hyde pictured near his home in Creeslough. Photos: Brian McDaid.
