A LORRY driver has today described how he narrowly avoided a fatal accident after he discovered a car being driven the wrong way down one lane of the A14.

A LORRY driver has today described how he narrowly avoided a fatal accident after he discovered a car being driven the wrong way down one lane of the A14.

Hundreds of motorists narrowly avoided a potentially fatal accident when a woman was discovered driving the wrong way down one lane of the A14.

Several drivers made 999 calls as the woman's car was seen heading towards Ipswich on the Felixstowe bound carriageway.

The incident happened at around 1.30pm on Monday and as yet, it is unknown how or why the car had been driven onto the wrong side of the road.

A Suffolk police spokeswoman said they had received a number of calls about the car, a red Toyota Starlet, which was near the Orwell Bridge. A patrol car was sent to the scene and the force helicopter alerted, but when they arrived it is believed the woman had already left the A14 at Copdock.

Lorry driver Peter Ray was driving a 32-tonne lorry on the A14, near to the A137 when he spotted the car coming towards him.

Mr Ray was in the outside lane, overtaking another lorry, when he realised the car was coming towards him, also in the outside lane.

"She was an elderly lady. She had glasses on and she was sitting there in the car with her mouth open."

Luckily Mr Ray, of Hogarth Road, Ipswich, believes the driver of the articulated lorry he was overtaking realised what was happening and quickly braked in order to let him swerve in front and avoid the Toyota.

"She was facing me and in the same lane as me, I thought I was dreaming," said Mr Ray, 21.

"I think she knew she was in the wrong lane, but was oblivious to the havoc she was causing. I think her car was moving, but not very fast."

Mr Ray said had he been going faster than 55 miles an hour or in an articulated lorry, he would not have been able to swerve away from the car.

"If I'd been in an articulated I would have had to hit her and would have hit her with the full force of the lorry.

"It was only because I was able to swerve, otherwise there would have been a fatal accident.

"I could be sitting in hospital eating through a straw right now, it's that plain and simple."

The car has since been traced to Essex, and the Suffolk Police spokeswoman said investigations were ongoing.

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