A man has been arrested following a crash in Margate where up to seven cars were damaged.
Police were called at 9.25pm last night (January 22) to reports of a collision with a number of parked vehicles in Approach Road.
One resident said: “It was a huge mess. One car was dragged up the road, others were hit on the way through.”
A Kent Police spokesperson said: “Kent Police was called at 9.25pm on Saturday 22 January after a car collided with a number of parked vehicles in Approach Road, Margate.
“Officers attended and a 48-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of being unfit to drive through drink or drugs. No injuries were reported.”
Kent Fire and Rescue Service was also called to the scene. A spokesperson said: “We sent two fire engines to the scene, but it appears there was no action for crews to take other than to make the scene safe until other agencies arrived.”
In 2020 members of Park Approach Tenants & Residents Association (PATRA) appealed for traffic calming or a 20mph limit to be introduced in the road following numerous incidents of speeding and dangerous driving.
Jeez never thought I would see a bigger car crash than Boris…
Drink or Drugs? Probably both!
48 year old…. should have known better… Book him, shred his Licence, and 10 years ‘nic’ at least.
Drink/drug driving should be a ban for life!
The driver will probably refuse to give a sample as requested . This has the bonus of being charged with refusal and so proven drink or drugs, ban and sentence will be the same, but a refusal is only on your driving record for 7 years rather than 11 for drink or drug driving. Daft.
“You’re only supposed to blow the bloody doors off”
(Michael Caine).
Must have been reading the ne highway code. Hope pedestrians have to pass a test to walk on pavements safely. Cant blame drivers for everything
Whilst something needs to be done to calm traffic all over Thanet it would not have made any difference here as drunk/drugged drivers do not take any notice of the law. Approach Road is always difficult to negotiate at the best of times due to cars, caravans, horse boxes left parked on both sides making the road into one lane so drivers must stop if someone is coming the other way. The brow of the hill needs yellow lines both sides for refuge when vehicles are head to head.
Kent Resident, you are absolutely spot on, all correct in what you say. That horse box has been a nightmare for years, blocking the view, when trying to pull out. Also parked cars on both sides, with little room to give way, although I understand Residents require parking.
Then of course that awkward junction angle, at the bottom of the road, when trying to join Dane Road.
Should be one-way.
Agreed about the worst of the drivers not slowing, however, if the speed limit were 20mph the penalties for speeding would be much more severe.
Drink drivers, drug drivers, boy racers and drivers with no insurance and unroadworthy cars don’t give a crap about speed limits, 30mph or 20mph these idiots would still drive the same.
Rather than penalising the vast majority of road users by imposing draconian 20mph speed limits the police should be stopping drivers regularly not just a couple of times a year in blitzes. The police need to start enforcing the current speed limits.
Not enough police officers!
I think there should be 20mph limits in all town centres /residential areas. There are far too many drivers who don’t seem to notice pedestrians. The new highway code should have been brought in decades ago.
Looks like a real life version of Grand Theft Auto.
The residents asked for traffic calming and were, of course, ignored. What do they know? The car is king.
Makes you wonder what speed he was doing it says a car was dragged up the road and he’s also caused so much damage done as well, very fortunate nobody was hurt, hope he was insured, KCC really must look into road calming not just speed limits as clearly just looking at the damage here the car speed was over limit, humps or something along those lines needed.
Must have been inspired by Arnie earlier in the day.
Can’t blame the driver! This road is ALWAYS causing accidents. Can’t be avoided. Each time accidents happen here, they never listen anything about this road.
Roads don’t cause “accidents”. Drivers do.
What if the driver was over the limit which sounds like that might be the case?
My mate was there saw it all! Horrible road. The bloke wasn’t even drunk. That roads been a nightmare for years. Could have all been avoided if they’d sorted that road. Hope they do something there soon to protect the drivers and pedestrians in the future.
Though probably safe to assume he was doing more than 30. Vast majority of problems are not the roads but the way they are used. There needs a concerted effort to get unroadworthy / illegal cars off the road along with the drivers. I walked the length of the old hospital road last night and saw 7 cars pass me that had either a front or rear light out, one was a taxi.40 minutes or so on one road, makes you wonder how many there are overall. More than enough of a reason to pull the car in question and check it over and the driver properly.
Your mate knows better than the police & their machines/tests for determining whether somebody is over the limit or has drugs in them? It is highly unlikely he would have been arrested under suspicion of being under the influence unless he either refused to take, or failed a roadside breath test.
I’ve had a few near misses driving down this road. Doesn’t help with all the parked cars either side. Avoid at all costs!
Cliftonoverspill is full of non UK drivers. Standards low, no adherence to our laws, default state is voddied up. Been nearly killed on zebras so many times
As I said drivers are not to blame for everything cyclists and pedestrians should now be required to understand the rules of the road and pavements.
It’s unbelievable how people say its not the drivers fault, he was not drunk, maybe drugs? If one car can cause that much damage then he has got to be at fault in some way some are saying its the road, leave it out I used to drive a Granada up and down the road until 2012 not once did I have a problem enough room to get through safely if you adjusted your speed, on open roads I used to speed limit breaking but drive to road conditions is the only way to be able to drive safely (safer).
Big Chris if you are referring to my comment about drivers bot always at fault I was meaning generally not this part case.
Fred no not specifically mention to just one person there are a few on here say not the drivers fault but he /she whoever is in charge of the vehicle in any crash where only one vehicle is moving has to be aware of what they are driving and the road they travel on, I’ve driven on that road many a time had children and dogs running out in front or between the cars and yes it is tight but you drive accordingly to what is in front of you, I would love to know what this driver was doing or had possibly taken something time will tell its incredible how so much damage done, Fred the new highway code now says the pedestrian has right of way over vehicles secondly bikes and then horses come 3rd its a eye opener for sure, I’ve read some of it on line it’s going to cause trouble as drivers have to let people cross the road anywhere not just a crossing but especially when when turning into another road I see many an argument or road rage.
Please remember the driver is always responsible for the way the car is driven. A car doesn’t cause accidents on its own. Only the driver or other party.. That includes where the car is parked. If you block junction views and cause a safety issue you can be held partly responsible. Cars are quite safe until the driver gets in or parks badly. As a pedestrian most of the time I see many idiotic events on our not very safe Thanet roads. The new Highway Code will make very little difference. There are so few traffic police officers around. In fact the number has reduced over the last 10 years. As a pedestrian most of the time I am sick of vans and cars blocking pavements. Forcing us to walk in the very roads drivers are so keen to treat like a race track. I might take to keying them soon. But that would be investigated by our police so maybe not. Remember your car can be a lethal weapon. Just depends on your driving and your attitude to life.
I do worry about pedestrians and cyclists who wear headphones or have eyes on the phone rather than being aware of their surroundings