Leeds student left with broken back and bleed on brain after lorry driver caused 'chain-reaction' crash

David Price, 65 of Manby in Lincolshire was driving on the A17 in Newark on the June 8 2018 when he failed to react in time to queuing traffic ahead.

His lorry smashed into the back of a Renault Clio, which then caused the Clio to hit an Audi A1 which was then launched forward into a lorry.

The driver of the Clio, a Leeds University student who was returning to Leeds from Norwich, suffered life-changing injuries.

She had a bleed on her brain as well as a broken back, broken neck, broken arm, broken ribs and a broken nose.

She had to withdraw from university because of the extent of the injuries.

The driver of the Audi, who was also travelling to Leeds to visit her daughter, also suffered significant injuries.

In a victim personal statement she said she ‘believed she was going to die that day’ and felt ‘lucky to have survived’.

Prior to the crash Price was driving at about 55mph, colliding with the back of the Clio at 49mph.

Tests showed that Price applied emergency braking when he was approximately 15 metres away from the Clio.

At 55mph it would have taken approximately 50 metres for the lorry to apply emergency braking and stop.

David Price was sentenced to 18 months in prison at Nottingham Crown Court on Thursday, November 7 after pleading guilty.

He was also handed a 29-month driving ban.

Inspector Heather Sutton, Neighbourhood Policing Inspector for the Newark and Sherwood area, said: “We have issued the dashcam footage, with the agreement of the victims, as a warning to drivers to pay attention when behind the wheel.

“Price’s dangerous driving caused catastrophic life-changing injuries within the space of a few seconds.

“It could all have been avoided if he had paid attention when behind the wheel. Now he has time to reflect on the consequences of his actions in prison.”