A combine harvester crushed Kate Walklate's car in an accident on Saturday at the intersection of Reservoir and McIvor roads, Kennington. Picture: Brendan McCarthy
KATE Walklate says she is thankful to be alive after her car was crushed by an out-of-control combine harvester and a traffic light on Saturday.
The 20-year-old Strathfieldsaye resident’s white Toyota Corolla was run over by the machine, which broke loose from a truck, at the intersection of McIvor and Reservoir roads.
Ms Walklate said she thought she was going to die.
“I thought I was going to be crushed,” she said. “The traffic light and the wheel of the harvester smashed the front windscreen and the beam smashed the back windscreen.
“The beam came down on the roof and I thought the whole roof was going to collapse, but it stopped just in time.
“The whole side of the car, the bonnet, both windscreens got smashed... everything crushed around me but I didn’t get touched.”
Ms Walklate turned off the car’s engine and “jumped out” from the rear of the car.
“I’m very lucky... I’ve used all my luck in one go,” she said.
“I didn’t have a scratch on me.
“I was in a fair bit of shock on Saturday but I’m fine now... I’ve just got to buy a new car.
“I’m just happy to be alive... I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
Ms Walklate said the truck had been shuddering before the incident.
“I’m not really too sure how it happened, I just know something snapped, it didn’t unhook,” she said.
“It makes you value every day a little bit more I suppose, but I’m fine.”
Her mother, Lisa, said she was probably more worried by the crash than her daughter.
“I’m glad that I’ve got her,” she said. “It’s still a bit of a shock and we’re thanking our stars she’s with us.
Sergeant Rosie Rowe said there had been serious concerns for the young driver.
“We had grave concerns for her before we arrived and realised she had got herself free,” she said.
“She was shaken but physically unharmed.”
Sergeant Rowe said the driver of the truck, a 73-year-old man from Maldon was also unharmed. She said no charges had been laid.