'I thought it was my last breath': London cyclist who was run over by lorry shares her terrifying story
Sarah Heanaghan suffered severe spine and leg injuries in crash
A cyclist from London has spoken out about the terrifying experience of being run over by a lorry on her morning commute, saying that she thought she was going to die in the crash.
Sarah Heanaghan suffered severe spine and leg injuries when she was run over by a lorry in January as the driver pulled away from a set of traffic lights in east London.
Ms Heanaghan was turning right at the junction of Whitechapel High Street and Commerical Road, with the driver taking the same turn but being unaware that she was in front of him at the junction.
"I started off once the lights turned green. I was about 2m in front of him when he hit me, knocked me down and pulled me under," Ms Heanaghan told the Evening Standard. "My hair was pulled back and he went on to my leg.
"I remember my chest being crushed and taking what I thought was my last breath. He stopped just before crushing my head. I was very lucky."
Ms Heanaghan has been undergoing rehabilitation to recover from her injuries, but still requires a wheelchair, was forced to quit her job, and has been diagnosed as suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and severe depression.
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Ms Heanaghan's lawyers said that the Metropolitan Police did not refer the case for investigation after saying that it was "incorrectly informed" about the severity of Ms Heanaghan's injuries.
Having secured an undisclosed sum from the lorry firm's insurers to pay for her rehabilitation, Ms Heanaghan has now returned to her native New Zealand to continue her recovery, hoping to return to London in the future.
Providing evidence in Ms Heanaghan's civil case, the lorry driver said that he had not seen Ms Heanaghan, with his mirrors only being designed to show the nearside of the lorry.
Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Henry Robertshaw began his time at Cycling Weekly working with the tech team, writing reviews, buying guides and appearing in videos advising on how to dress for the seasons. He later moved over to the news team, where his work focused on the professional peloton as well as legislation and provision for cycling. He's since moved his career in a new direction, with a role at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.