Just come across this thread - thought it was well worth a repost.

http://www.a1-forum.co.uk/a1forum/vi...hp?f=10&t=9679

I was reminded about this when listing the cars I've owned in another current Thread.

This happened in '96. I was in my Clio Williams, driving on some roads near my parents' house in the Scottish Highlands and went off the road, backwards, at about 60mph.
The set of bends where I went off is notorious in that there is usually at least one fatality there every couple of years.



I was heading, backwards, towards the river that runs thru' the village when my progress was arrested by a tree.
Fortunately the car hit the tree square-on, so no lateral forces were transmitted. My seat and headrest thus held me securely as I was thrown directly backwards by the impact.

It was sheer luck that had me hit the tree to stop me heading into the river and hit it at the correct angle so my seat, seatbelt and headrest all held me in place.
I was pulled out of the car by a motorist who'd seen me go off. I had a few cuts from broken glass, but was more sore from the painkilling injection I got in my thigh at the hospital than from the accident itself.



Even more fortunately, there was no-one in the back of the car. Those are the back-seats pushed right up againt the fronts.



Not entirely sure how this happened...



Essentially, I was completely unscathed.
I still regularly say Thanks to the Big Man upstairs for looking out for me...