Heart-stopping moment idiot driver ploughs into oncoming traffic after overtaking HGV and skidding out of control

THIS is the heart-stopping infinitesimal an idiot operator ploughed into oncoming postulation aft overtaking an HGV and skidding retired of control.

Holidaymaker Norman Chai, 66, smashed into 2 cars connected the A30 successful Devon.

He mislaid power aft racing past a lorry connected the bedewed roadworthy - swerving crossed the lane into traffic.

Footage shows Chai's car rocketing head-on into a Mitsubishi and a Kia.

Nine radical suffered injuries successful the fearfulness smash, and 5 including Chai were earnestly hurt.

Chai admitted 4 offences of causing superior wounded by unsafe driving astatine Exeter Crown Court.

He said helium panicked aft realising helium was not successful an overtaking lane and was astir to collide with oncoming cars.

But Chai has been spared jail and handed a suspended condemnation on with a curfew.

He antecedently had a cleanable licence but has present been banned from driving for 3 years.

Chai was connected his mode from his Surrey location to Cornwall and had been down the instrumentality for much than 2 hours.

He tried to overtake the lorry astatine Rawbridge adjacent the Somerset borderline - battling bedewed conditions connected the road.

Chai slipped backmost into the close lane aft overtaking the lorry, earlier losing power arsenic helium swerved to dodge a postulation island.

The HGV was travelling astatine the 50mph velocity bounds erstwhile Chai sped past, authoritative Beth Rickerby said.

His car past fishtailed into the oncoming lane, wherever it smashed into a Mitsubishi.

Chai had his woman and mother-in-law successful the back, and the Mitsubishi contained 2 adults and 2 children.

A Kia with 2 big passengers smashed into the wreckage successful a three-car pile-up.

The Mitsubishi's operator was a gran-of-three who suffered fractures to her spine and ankle.

A antheral rider successful the Kia besides suffered aggregate fractures to his ankle.

Both victims said the clang had caused ongoing carnal symptom and intelligence damage.

Chai's woman suffered 3 fractures to her pelvis and breaks successful her spine.

His mother-in-law needed operations to repair harm to her lung and breaks to her ribs.

Chai himself was airlifted and enactment into a 24-hour coma by doctors earlier country connected his pelvis and ribs.

'HEAT OF THE MOMENT'

Lisa Denley, defending, said Chai had rested earlier getting down the wheel.

She told the court: "He past made a superior mistake and hates himself for it.

"It was lone erstwhile helium pulled retired that helium became alert it wasn't a 2nd lane.

"He felt committed astatine that signifier and decided successful the vigor of the infinitesimal helium needed to implicit the manoeuvre arsenic soon arsenic possible.

"He was panicking and incredibly stressed reasoning helium was astir to beryllium progressive successful an accident.

"He thought helium was going to origin wounded to his woman and mother-in-law.

"It was a momentary lapse successful concentration. A precise superior error."

'GENUINELY SORRY'

Character references from friends praised Chai's bully quality and consciousness of motivation responsibility.

Chai said helium thinks astir what helium did each time and thought helium would spell to prison.

Recorder Bromige said a liable motorist would ne'er person been driving truthful accelerated successful the bedewed conditions.

He said it was intelligibly unsafe for Chai to effort and execute an overtake.

But helium accepted Chai failed to recognise the right-turn was not an overtaking lane and that helium is genuinely sorry.

Chai, from Woking, was sentenced to 2 years successful prison, suspended for 2 years.

He was fixed a three-month home curfew, fined £2,000, banned from driving for 3 years and told to wage costs of £650.