By April Mitchinson

A 68-YEAR-OLD Dundee grandmother was released from Ninewells Hospital yesterday, four days after a police car struck the car she was driving with her husband as passenger.

Alma Smith was trapped inside the car with a broken rib and other minor injuries until emergency services freed her.

She had been driving home with her husband James (73), late on Saturday night when she was involved in a collision with a police car that had run a red light in response to an emergency call.

Recovering from their injuries at home, the Smiths relived their ordeal for The Courier and spoke of their shock at discovering the police were involved in the incident at the junction of Queen Street and Westfield Road.

“As we approached the junction, the set of lights turned green.

“We heard nothing and didn’t see any flashing lights—we were only aware of a huge bang against the driver’s side of the car and then we were pushed across the road towards the Broughty Ferry Hotel,” said Mr Smith.

“It was the last thing we were expecting and it all happened so quickly,” he said, adding, “If police are attending an emergency, there’s no point in flying through red lights and creating another emergency.”

Mrs Smith said, “We could have been killed—we were very, very lucky.

“We were very shocked. We certainly didn’t expect to get hit by a police car.

“If I had heard the sirens or seen the lights I would have moved out of the way, but I never heard a thing.”

Doctors at Ninewells told Mrs Smith it will be at least six weeks before she is well enough to get back behind the wheel of a car—although exactly what that will be is another problem, as mechanics expect their car to be written off.

“I suppose you just need to get straight behind the wheel again, but I don’t know if I can,” she said.

“I started to shake as soon as I got in the ambulance, and I was very nervous in the taxi coming home from the hospital.”

Police attempted to breathalyse Mrs Smith at the scene, but had to wait until she was en route to the hospital because she was suffering from shock.

Mr Smith said police have been very helpful since the accident, and have regularly checked in on the couple.

“You could condemn the whole force for one person’s inattention, but they have shown nothing but concern, and we are very appreciative of that,” he said.

A Tayside Police spokeswoman said the car had been responding to an emergency call concerning a disturbance outside a pub in Broughty Ferry.

She said, “The female officer driving the car sustained minor injuries as a result of the collision.

“Her colleague—a male officer—sustained whiplash injuries and concussion.

“Both officers were taken to Ninewells Hospital, where they were checked over before being released.

“Both officers are back at work,” she said.

“We have appointed an independent senior officer to investigate the circumstances surrounding the collision, and a full accident investigation will be carried out.

“A report will be submitted to the procurator fiscal in Dundee in due course.”