Police hail ‘miracle’ after driver ejected through sunroof in rural Co Antrim crash

The scene of the collision in Co Antrim where emergency responders feared the worst upon arrival

A driver escaped without life-changing injuries after being thrown through the sunroof of a car during a violent crash on a narrow rural road in Co Antrim.

Police described the outcome as a “miracle” after officers from Ballymoney and Moyle arrived to find the badly damaged vehicle in a field, with clothing and personal belongings scattered around the scene.

The single-vehicle collision happened on Thursday, 6 August, with the PSNI revealing details of the incident on Friday.

Passing motorist raised the alarm

According to police, the driver had been travelling along a quiet rural road when he met another vehicle coming in the opposite direction.

Because of the narrow width of the road and grass verges on either side, both drivers had to move slightly towards the verge to pass.

Police said the man’s vehicle caught the verge before he oversteered, lost control and rolled through a hedge and into a field.

A passing motorist, who had just negotiated the narrow road with the vehicle, spotted it leaving the carriageway in his mirror and immediately raised the alarm.

Two people from a nearby business also went to the driver’s aid, providing first aid and bandaging injuries to his head and arms before emergency services arrived.

‘They thought the absolute worst’

In an account of the incident, the Police Service of Northern Ireland said officers initially received only limited information that a vehicle had crashed and a man had been ejected.

Police said:

“As our first callsign, two officers from Ballymoney & Moyle NPT came over the brow of the hill they thought the absolute worst.

“They saw a lone vehicle absolutely smashed to smithereens in a field, with clothing and personal belongings scattered everywhere!”

The scale of the damage left emergency responders fearing the driver had suffered catastrophic injuries.

Police added:

“As you can see the drivers side roof was entirely crushed in and the male was ejected via the sun roof.

“It is a miracle that he didn’t receive life changing injuries or worse. Even the two first responders from NIAS were shocked!”

Police thank members of the public

The PSNI said it was particularly grateful to the passing motorist whose quick reaction ensured the emergency services were alerted, as well as the two members of the public who provided immediate first aid.

Police said:

“We are just so thankful that no lives were lost and for the immediate call for help and first aid by the passing members of the public.”

The extraordinary escape is also a reminder of how quickly a routine journey on a narrow rural road can turn into a serious collision — and, in this case, how the actions of people nearby helped ensure assistance reached the injured driver quickly.