A Tayside man has vowed to re-build his life after suffering crippling injuries in a horrific 70mph car crash.
Gavin Stewart, 30, is currently unable to walk and is housebound with three fractures in his back, following the two-vehicle collision on the A90 last Friday.
His Mazda car ended up stuck on stuck on top of the central reservation railings with fire crews having to cut him free by removing the side of the vehicle.
The other car involved, a Mercedes, was also badly damaged, with the driver and passenger believed to have had minor injuries.
Gavin, a factory worker from Forfar, said he was determined to keep his spirits up despite knowing he’ll spend Christmas in a back brace and on crutches.
He said: “It was around 7.30pm and dark by that time, and the other car was black. It appeared out of nowhere. It’s a 70mph road so it all happened so quickly.
“Before I knew it, we’d collided and my car spun up onto the railings on the central reservation. The fire brigade had to cut the side of it off to pull me out and I was then rushed to hospital.
“I have three fractures in my back and also something wrong with my pelvis, so at the moment I’m in effect paralysed for the next ten weeks. Obviously I can’t work or do much for myself, so my wife has been a great help. We also have two young children in the house to look after.”
The crash happened near Powrie Farm and Gavin said he wants to see something done about that stretch of road, such as more police patrols.
He added that since the crash, he’s been anxious when having to be driven in a car – but is determined to beat his fear and even go back to driving when he recovers.
He said: “I do get nervous and start shaking when I’m in a car, but I have no choice. I can’t walk or use the bus at the moment so I have to get lifts on the rare occasions I leave the house.
“I won’t let this beat me though. I’ll start walking and driving as soon as I can. I want to thank the fire brigade who cut me out and the doctors looking after me, they’ve all been great.”
