A dad says he has lived “every parent’s worst nightmare” after his ten-year-old son was knocked off his bike in a horror crash caught on CCTV.
Lewis Cope was cycling home but failed to stop at a notorious junction and was struck by a passing car.
Footage shows the moment Lewis was flung from his bike as he cycled through Chesterfield, Derbys., on June 24.
Luckily the driver was not speeding and checked on the youngster who was rushed to hospital.
Remarkably, Lewis escaped without life-threatening injuries and is recovering after suffering severe concussion, cuts and bruises
Dad Richard, 43, posted the shocking video of the crash online to highlight the dangers of cyclists not wearing helmets and to remind drivers to stick to the speed limit.
He said: “We’ve lived every parents worst nightmare and we know how lucky we are to still have him.
“There’s a lesson for drivers and children, because if the driver wasn’t adhering to the speed limit, as they often don’t, it could have been a different outcome.
“The driver’s quick reactions undoubtedly helped my son, along with a lot of luck.
“I think the worn out road marking and small sign in the hedge contributed to his complacency with this particular junction.”
Richard is now calling for the junction on Cedar Road to be turned into a STOP junction.
He said: “It’s a completely blind junction, and residents will attest to the number of road users including cars, motorbikes and cyclists who all breeze across the junction, sometimes without realising until its too late.”
Richard said his son recognises the danger he put himself in and how lucky he was to walk away from the crash.
He added: “I don’t want to waste that opportunity of a free lesson to others.
“I’ve had a number of requests from friends and family members asking for me to share the footage with them so that they can show their kids the real danger of complacency.
“Let’s turn a negative experience into a positive lesson about respecting the road and just how important wearing a helmet is.”
He also urged motorists to remember that young cyclists can behave unpredictably.
Richard said: “As adults we look for danger, we can sense danger – but kids don’t.
“They don’t have the lived experiences that we do.
“As drivers, we forget to be prepared for the unexpected.
“So whilst many blame my son for being an ‘idiot’, I think a little empathy for young road users who have no formal training to be allowed to use the road would go a long way.
“It makes me question whether young children should be allowed on the road.
“By allowing them on the roads without any formal tests, are we placing them into a situation we know they are not mature enough to deal with.”
Despite the terrifying incident, Richard said he is hugely grateful to the people who came to his son’s aid.
He also confirmed the driver was okay following the crash and said he had offered to pay for the damage caused to the car.
