No, this is not a clip from an upcoming action movie; it’s CCTV footage of the real-life moment of horror in which a Ukrainian van driver almost lost his life on the road. The driver, passing through the village of Mylushi in the Lutsk district of Ukraine on a quiet Tuesday morning, fell asleep at the wheel of his delivery vehicle.
Mercifully, CCTV cameras recorded clear footage of the entire ordeal; it’s safe to say that the driver who lost control of the van had no idea how he ended up at a standstill in the middle of the road, hanging out of his vehicle with the door blown clean off.
The footage initially captures a normal-looking street scene before the white Renault van in the foreground veers alarmingly toward the opposite of the street. A large blue truck towing a trailer with a digger is driving towards the Renault; the blue truck driver, who is also carrying two passengers, attempts to swerve away at the last moment. He tries but fails and cannot avoid the full-frontal collision with the oncoming vehicle.
The smaller van is sent spinning into the road, the driver’s door is completely smashed away, and the driver is jostled from his position but not thrown from the cab. Close inspection shows that the airbag deploys successfully, cushioning the impact. The driver comes to and clearly has no idea what has just transpired. Nearby commuters, shocked, leave their cars and rally around to help the bewildered driver, still too shocked to move.
It also appears that the driver of the smaller van wasn’t wearing a seatbelt.
“He will probably lose his job after this,” ventured another, while many remained incredulous. “The thumbnail makes it look like he’s still trying to drive the van!” exclaimed one viewer, while another was keen to speak for the driver’s defense: “I think he was wearing a seat belt but [it] was ripped away when the entire front driver side of the van was removed.”
Neither one of the drivers was injured in the collision, which, when you see the footage, is nothing short of miraculous.
Both drivers and all passengers were taken to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine by paramedics, and a spokesman commented: “According to the preliminary information, there are no deaths. Passengers were hospitalized,” they clarified. “All of them were conscious after the incident.”
Take breaks, and drive safely! This heart-stopping video is amazing, terrifying, and a stark reminder to all of us to take care of ourselves and each other.
